A Soliloquy of the Soul, Text

A Soliloquy of the Soul · Text

A Soliloquie of the SOVLE: Or, A Pillar of Thoughts.

AS Lots wife was turned into a Pillar of Salt, that her inconſtancie night be fixt, and yet be melting ſtill: So thou, my …oule, if I had my wiſh, …ouldſt be turned into a Pillar of Thoughts; that thy volubility might bee reſtrain'd, and yet be thinking ſtill. And of what then is it, I would have thee to thinke? Not of the miſeries of the World, though there be cauſe enough; but alas, this would be too ſad a ſubject to thinke upon continually: Nor the Pleaſures of the world, though this were like to have all mens voyces; but alas, they would ſcarce laſt ſo long, to hold out the thinking: Nor yet of the world it ſelf, though this would be a large field to walke in; but alas! not large enough for the ſwift Thoughts, that can run it over in an inſtant: No, my ſoule, but to think of God; for Hee onelyonly is the cheerfull ſubject that can bee a cōfort to thee, when thou art in greateſt miſery; Hee only the laſting object that can miniſter matter of meditation, when all vaine pleaſures ſhall have their period; He only, the large Field with varietie of walks, where thy thoughts may bee walking everlaſtingly, and never come to the end. To thinke of the miſeries of the world, is to put the Thornes into my eyes, that were before but in my ſides; and make the the harder, becauſe my ſenſe the tenderer; therefore thinke not of miſeries. To thinke of the pleaſures of the world, would make me to bluſh for ſhame; and to weep for ſorrow, that I ſhould ever be enchanted by ſuch Syrens, and not ſee my folly, till I feele my fall; therefore thinke not of pleaſures. To thinke of the World, would make me thinke myſelfe at liberty, duplicate page duplicate page when I am but in a priſon; and make me like the Dogge, that lyes biting upon the chaine that tyes him: therefore thinke not of the World. No, my ſoule, but thinke of God; for to be thinking of God, is a kinde of being preſent with him; and then what greater joy than to be preſent with him, in whoſe preſence is the fulneſſe of joy for evermore. What though the World take no notice of thy joy? Canſt thou not, In ſinu gaudere, & keep thy joy to thy ſelfe? doth the Worlds knowing thy happineſſe, adde any thing to thy happines? No my ſoule, though thy thoughts be onelyonly to thy ſelfe, yet let it ſuffice thee Tibi plaudere, and be thinking of God ſtill. For thinking is the food of the memory, which nouriſhe… it, and keepeth it in life; and without thinking, we ſtarve it; for what wee little thinke of, wee ſoone forget; and therefore, my ſoule, that thou mayſt not forget him, who onelyonly is worthy to be remembred, bee thinking of God ſtill. For to thinke of God is never out of ſeaſon; all other thoughts have their fits; are fit at one time, unfit at another; but to thinke of God is fit for all times; In adverſity; to mitigate; in proſperity, to moderate; in ſickneſſe, to conſolate; and in health, to conſolidate; It is indeed the ſuperlative thought, and ſers a ſpel to al other thoughts, that none can come neer it, none in any degree beare any proportionw it & the… fore that thou maiſt not be in the reere of thoughts, be thinking of God ſtill.

But if thou be alwayes thinking of God, it behooves thee to be carefull what thou thinkeſt; for to thinke unworthily of him, thou wert better be thinking of ſomething elſe; and alas, being ſo dazeled with his brightneſſe, ſo aſtoniſhed at his Greatneſſe, as I …n; what can I thinke, that is worthy of him, in the leaſt degree? For what an ring have my thoughts, but either Memory, or Vnderſtanding? and what can my Memory think worthy of him, that is time out of minde? What can my Vnderſtanding apprehend worthy of him, that paſſeth all underſtanding? If I thinke of the time paſt, I finde, that was, but is not: If I thinke of the time preſent, I find that paſt while I am thinking: If I thinke of the time to come, I find it cannot be found whether ever it will be, or no: and what are theſe to him, of whom it is truely ſaid, As he was in the beginning, is now, and ever ſhall bee, world without end. I can think of him indeed, as he is Eternall, but then it muſt be an Eternity by ſucceſſion of time, in which there is ſomething before, and ſomething after; where his Eternity is all at once, and hath nothing to doe with time, nor time with it, ſeeing he is alwayes the ſame, and his yeeres never faile. I can thinke of him, as hee is infinite, but then, it muſt be an infiniteneſſe by extenſion of Magnitude; and that the work only of Imagination, or conceit; where his Infiniteneſſe is a Tranſcendent to Quantity, and leaves imagination behind it, and conceit below it; or rather, makes Imagination weary, and Conceit aſhamed. I can perhaps apprehend more than he is, but not ſo much: for I can apprehend many gods; but all of them, not ſo much, as he that is but One. And why then would I ſo faine be thinking of him, when I can think of nothing that is worthy of him? Yet I muſt thinke of him, or I can thinke of nothing that is worth the thinking of. If I thinke of the wiſdome of Salomon; If of the beauty of Abſalom; If of the ſtrength of Sampſon: Alas! what are theſe to think of? Great indeede, to bee thought of, by themſelves; but compar'd with his wiſdome, with his beauty, with his ſtrength, they are leſſe then nothing. When I can meaſure out the Sea by dioppes, and when I can ſum up the Sands with Counters, I may then hope to finde out ſomething to thinke of, that is worthy of him.

But though I cannot apprehend him, as he is unum integrale, One entire being, yet I may perhaps apprehend him, as Humane Capacity conceiveth him in parts Alas, no better at all. For if I thinke of his, Providence, and his Providence is the moſt viſible Character in his Oeconomy of the World; I finde my ſelfe even confounded with the courſe hee holdeth in it; Why he ſuffers the wicked of the World to proſper and flouriſh, and the godly whom he loveth beſt, and who love him beſt, to be in affliction? as though he did miſtake either his bleſſings, or them he bleſſeth; taking Ephraim for Manaſſes, and Manaſſe, for Ephraim, as old Jacob did? If I thinke of his Juſtice (and every one hath a right in Juſtice) I am then confounded to think, why Abel, that was the firſt Saint ſhould be the firſt Martyr; and why Cain, that was the Murtherer of his brother, ſhould have the bleſſing of long life? as though it were juſtice with him to puniſh an innocent, and to reward an offender? If I thinke of his Power (and power will alwayes make it ſelf be thought of) I am then confounded to thinke how hee could make all things of nothing, and why they are ſaid to bee the workes of his hands, when yet they were made with a word of his mouth? as though Nature were not worthy to be his Apprentice, and as though it were with him but a word and a deed? But moſt of all, if I thinke of his Mercy (and his mercy is over all his workes) I am then confounded to thinke how it can be mercy in him, to give the life of his Sonne, to ſave the lives of his Enemies; an Innocent for Delinquents, a Lambe for Wolves, a God for men? O my ſoule, this may well be thy aſtoniſhment, ſeeing it is the wonder of An…els: But though his Jutice may be brought in …ueſtion by it; yet his Mercy certainly it makes …ut of queſtion; for what reater Mercy, then to ſave …lany by One; and many …hat could not helpe them…elves, by one that could …oth ſave himſelfe and o…ers? Neither yet is his …uſtice brought in queſti…n by it; for is it not juſt, that as hee did make man by his word, which is his Sonne; ſo hee ſhould ſave man by his Sonne who is the Word? Is it not juſt he ſhould imploy his Son where moſt honour might be gotten? and is there any greater honor than that which he hath gotten by this imployment, to ſit at the right hand of his Father; and to have a Name at which both men and Angels muſt bow their knees.

And now, O my ſoule, thou haſt found out a thing in God, moſt worthy for thee to thinke of, of him to be thought; for as his mercy is over al his works, ſo it may juſtly take up all thy thoughts. But can nothing be found in God, worthy to be thought of, but his Mercy? Not his Wiſdome? Not his Power? Not his Juſtice? Yes, my ſoule, moſt worthy to be thought of, all of them, but not ſo much; or if as much in themſelves, yet not of us; and therefore not ſo much of us, becauſe not communicated ſo much to us: For, his Wiſedome is to us a ſecret; his Power, a tranſcendent; his Juſtice, an abyſſus; onelyonly his Mercy offers to communicate it ſelfe to us: that if it were not for his Mercy, we neither could hope, nor durſt preſume to have Acceſſe unto him: and therfore in all our ſuites, we Pray him not to heare us, for his wiſdomes ſake, or for his powers ſake, or for his Juſtice ſake, but only & alwaies for his Mercyes ſake. It is his Mercy that emboldens us when we are fearefull, that encourageth us whē we are doubtfull. It is his Mercy that directs us when wee are Erring, that upholds us when we are falling; and indeed his Mercy not only is Invocated by us, but is it ſelfe an Advocate for us: that we may truly ſay; Of all his Attributes there is none hath Bowells in it, but only his Mercy. Here therefore, My ſoule, Fixe… thy Pillar of Thoughts, and let this Mercy of God be thy perpetuall Object: For, as ſome ſuperſtitious in the ſect of Mahomet, when they have once ſeen his Tombe at Mecha, pull out their Eyes preſently, as never poſsible to ſee ſo worthy a ſight againe: ſo Thou, my Soule, when thou haſt once entred upon this Thought of Gods Mercy, thou mayeſt ſeale up the doores of thy Heart, as never poſsible to let in ſo comfortable a Thought againe.

But if, with all thy thinking, thou canſt not ſufficiently apprehend it, then at leaſt admire it; that by admiring it, thou maiſt bee drawne to love it; or rather, to love him for it; yet not to love him onelyonly for his mercy to thee, but for his mercy; and not onelyonly for his being Mercifull, but for his being: for then, my ſoule, thou loveſt God truely, when thou loveſt him for himſelfe, and not for his benefits; for how elſe canſt thou ſay with Job, Though thou kill mee, O Lord, yet will I love thee. Indeede to love God, apart from his benefits, is a worke for the ſoule, when it is parted from the Body; for as long as wee live in this world of Vanity, our love to God, I may ſay, is but Mercenary; even David, as much a man as he was after Gods owne heart, yet ſaith but this; I love thee, O Lord, becauſe thou haſt heard my ſupplication: So this Benefit of God was the Motive of his love to God; that if it had not beene for this motive, his love to God might have beene as little as anothers. O ye bleſſed Seraphins, that burne with an ardour of this love of God; how happy are ye in this your ardour? and though I cannot wiſh to be a Seraphin, yet I wiſh, at leaſt, ſome portion of your ardour; for then I ſhould love God, not for his benefits, but for himſelfe; and not love my ſelfe, but only for him. And yet, O my ſoule, that thou couldeſt love God but as David did, though but onelyonly for his Benefits; for then, at leaſt, thou mighteſt bee a ſoule after Gods owne heart, as David was. And why, my ſoule, ſhouldeſt thou not? Alas, why doſt thou not love him as David did; ſeeing thou haſt as great Motives as David had? For what was his Motive, but that God heard his ſupplication? and what was his ſupplicatiō, but that God would defend him from his Enemies, from Sin and Satan? and doe not theſe aſſault thee, as ſtrongly as they did David? And have they not overcome thee; at leaſt had they not overcome thee, if God had not defended thee? O my ſoule, It is the great mercy of God, that ſinne hath not already ſwallowed thee up; and that thou haſt not long ſince beene made a prey to Satan. If therefore, my ſoule, thou canſt not apprehend the greatneſſe of Gods mercy by conſidering it in it ſelfe, then take a view of it by conſidering the greatneſſe of thy ſin: For, as they that cannot looke upon the brightnes of the ſunne as it is in it ſelfe, doe, by looking in the water, come to diſcerne it in ſome meaſure: ſo, though thou canſt not apprehend Gods mercy, as it is in it ſelfe; yet by viewing it as it were in the water of thy ſinnes (Alas! in themſelves a filthy puddle, but for this purpoſe a cleare ſtreame,) thou maiſt come to apprehend it, at leaſt, in ſome proportion. For according to the greatneſſe of thy ſin, is the greatneſſe of Gods mercy in forgiving thy ſinne. But in conſidering thy ſinne, let this be a part of thy Pillar of Thoughts; that as Chriſts wounds were remaining on his body at his Reſurrectiō, ſo the wounds of thy ſinne will remaine upon thy ſoule at the day of Judgement; and leaſt thou ſhouldeſt thinke in ſo long a time they might all be forgotten, let this alſo be added to thy thoughts; that there will then bee kept a ſeſſions, where al the circumſtances of thy ſins will be ſummoned to meet together, to give Evidence againſt thee: and then Time it ſelfe will come in, and tell the very houre, when; Place it ſelfe will come in, and ſhew the very roome, where; the Perſons themſelves will come in, and preſent the very faces of them, with whom, or againſt whom thou didſt commit any ſinne, in the whole courſe of thy life: & al as viſibly, as when the ſinnes were a doing; and even thy evil thoughts which yet never came further then the cloyſter of thy heart, will then come forth as freſh, as when they were a thinking; and all thy prophane words, as audible, as when they were a ſpeaking; and all thy filthy writings, as legible as when they were a writing; and leſt there ſhould want an accuſer, as there did to the Adultreſſe in the Goſpel, Satan himſelfe will take that Office upon him, and doe it moſt ſpitefully; in ſuch ſort, my ſoule, that it cannot be ſaid, whether thy ſhame or thy Horrour will then be greater: thy ſhame, to ſee thy filthines diſcovered and laid open before all people; or thy horrour, to finde thy caſe deſperate, and paſt all hope or poſſibility of relieving. And is it not time, before this time, to thinke of that time? a fearefull thing to thinke of, I confeſſe; but without thinking of it now, there will be no helping of it then; and therefore thinke of it, my ſoule, but thinke of it to prevent it: and as deſperate as thy caſe may be, yet doe not deſpaire: Never yeelde, how great ſo ever thy ſin be, or be made appeare to be, that it can be greater, or any thing neere ſo great as Gods mercy: For compare them, my ſoule, together; Thy ſin is great, becauſe a tranſgreſſion of Gods law; but Gods mercy muſt needes be greater, becauſe a law to himſelfe: Thy ſinne is no more then thou art able to doe; but Gods mercy is more then thou art able to think: thy ſin is but a Plot of Satans to entrap thee; but Gods mercy is his owne purpoſe to relieve thee; thy ſin is but infinite in Relation; but Gods mercy is infinite in it ſelf, and abſolutely: thy ſin is but an Accidentall thing in thee; but Gods mercy, I may ſay, is his very ſubſtance; that as much as himſelf is greater then thy ſelf; ſo much his mercy is greater then thy ſin: and indeed, if thy ſin could be greater then Gods mercy, there ſhould be ſomthing in thee greater then that which is greateſt in God: for of all the things that humane capacity conceiveth to be in God, there is none greater then his mercy, none ſo great as his mercy: at leaſt as greater and leſſer may be conceived, where all are Infinite.

But though Gods mercy bee greater then any mans ſinne, yet any mans ſinne may come to bee greater then Gods mercy; if either deſpaire reject it, or preſumption ſlight it: for both theſe are of force to make Gods mercy of no force, at leaſt of no force to forgive, becauſe they leave no capacity to be forgiven. For all capacity of Forgiveneſſe is then clean barred up, when either Deſpaire or Preſumption ſtand at the En…rance. In all other caſes, Gods mercy hath the Pre…eminence, and makes the greateſt ſinnes become like …loudes, either blowne away, as with the wind of his goodneſſe; or elſe diſſolved, as with the ſunne of his kindneſſe.

And now, my ſoule, thy …houghts, me thinkes, are come to ſome faſhion of a Pillar; they are ſolid and firme, and want but Erecting; but all the difficulty is to erect them: for though Gods mercy, if once attayned, bee greater then any mans ſinne; yet it is no eaſie matter to attaine it, ſeeing there is no attaining it, but from his Mercy ſeate; and his Mercy ſeate is the higheſt part of all his Arke, and this muſt needes bee a great height, farre higher then wee of our ſelves are ever able to reach: No, my ſoule, there is no way to reach it, no meanes to climbe up to it, but onelyonly by Iacobs ladder, which ladder is Chriſt: and if in climbing up this ladder, there bee not the greater heede taken, in ſtead of rayſing thee up, it will but caſt thee down, & give thee the greater Fall. Thou muſt not therefore doe as the Apoſtate Angels did; aſcend firſt, and then deſcend: aſcend firſt in Preſumption, and then deſcended in Deſpaire: Aſcend firſt, in ſcorning this ladder, as thinking their owne nature more worthy for the Sonne of God to take, then the ſeed of the woman; and then deſcend by falling off the ladder, and have their heads broken by the ſeed of the womā: no, my ſoule, thou muſt take a contrary courſe; Deſcend firſt, and then Aſcend: Deſcend firſt in Humility, & thē Afcend in Hope: Deſcend firſt into a ſerious confideratiō of thy ſin, and then Aſcend to a ſtedfaſt apprehenſion of Gods mercy; Deſcend firſt with Chriſt into Hell, by Patience in Adverſity, and then Aſcend up with him into Heaven by a lively Faith, and by a Heavenly converſation: For, thus Aſcending, thou ſhalt bee out of the reach of Time, and Place, and all other circumſtances of thy ſinne; and, which is moſt of all, thou ſhalt be out of Satans walke, which goes no further then compaſsing the Earth, that thou needeſt not now to feare, either their Teſtimonie, o… his Accuſation.

But, O my ſoule, there is one ſtep of this ladder yet behind, without which thou canſt never climbe up ſo high as to Gods Mercyſeat; and the ſtep is this: to Referre all thy Thoughts, thy Wordes and Actions to the glory of God: For if thou ſhouldeſt have faith, that thou couldeſt remove Mountaines; if thou ſhouldeſt performe all the Workes of the Law, as exactly as any Sadducee, and not referre them to Gods glory; they would all bee taken but for ungratefull complements, and bee of no account, nor thou for them in any account with God. And great reaſon it ſhould bee ſo; for, why did God make the World, and all that is in the world, but onelyonly for his glory? & ſhall any, that live in the world, have another End in uſing it, then God had in making it? ſhall man, that is made after his Image, doe no more to the ſetting forth of Gods glory, then every creeping thing of the Earth? be only a paſsive inſtrument of his glory, & not an active? Can hee take it well at his ſervants hands, to be backwardeſt in a ſervice in w^ch they ſhould be forwardeſt; to neglect his greateſt worke, and then thinke to pleaſe him with Tything of Mint? canſt thou looke to have Recompenſe of God for thy ſervice; and God to have no recompenſe of thee for his favours? and what recompenſe? what Retribuam Domino haſt thou for God, but onelyonly to take Calicem ſalutaris, to Glorifie his Name? How can any man juſtly complaine of his meane eſtate, when the meaneſt man that is, hath that in him, which is in man the moſt excellent thing? and what is that moſt excellent thing? what my ſoule; but a power to glorifie God? for this Power is a greater Dignitie then the greateſt dignitie of any earthly Power: It is the worke which Angels doe in Heaven; and is there any worke done in Heaven, that is not better then the beſt that is done on Earth? and more then this, it is the very worke that makes the Angels happy; for without doing this worke they could not be happy: and if we want any thing in this life of being happie, it is becauſe we want ſomething of doing this worke. For never ſhall wee come to be perfectly happie, till we come to be able to doe this work perfectly. What was wanting in the Morall vertues of Heathen men, but only this, that they referred them to their owne, and not to Gods glory? Ariſtides in a high degree was juſt; Cato, ſober; Socrates, Patient; Regulus, Conſtant; all excellent parts towards the perfecting of a Building; but yet no benefit of them, becauſe they came not up to the Roofe they had not the Crowne of Glory to God; & therfore not the crowne of reward to themſelves. It is an eaſie leſſon to ſay, but a hard to learne; and few but David have ever practiſed it; Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the Glory: for is it not, that we ſeeme all to have a ſpice of Lucifer in us? though we can bee content to allow the greateſt glory to God; yet faine wee would reſerve ſome at leaſt for our ſelves: when, alas, if wee reſerve any at all to our ſelves, we leave none at al for God; for neither is glory a thing that can bee parted; neither is God one that can endure a partner, and ſpecially in his Glory: for though all his Attributes be Excellent & Admirable; yet Majeſtie is Attributed to none of them but to his Glory: As it is in the Angels ſong, Heaven and earth are full of the Majeſty of thy Glory: and what greater Derogation to Majeſtie then to have a Partner? Indeede Gods Glory is in it ſelfe moſt perfect alwaies; and nothing that man can doe, can either adde to it, or detract from it: but ſuch is Gods graciouſneſſe to us, ſo great his deſire to endeere us to him; that he infinitely overvalues our Endeavours, and ſets a farre greater price upon them then they are worth; counting, as if wee added to it, when we detract not from it; at leaſt, as if wee then give it him, when we aſcribe it to him. If therfore, O my ſoule, thou wilt ever be admitted into the quire of Angels, to ſing, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Sabbaoth, Heaven and Earth are full of the Majeſtie of thy Glory; It muſt bee thy care, thy principall, and, I may ſay, thy onelyonly care, to aſcribe all Glory and Praiſe to God, and to him only; that if the Angells will undertake for Heaven, thou for thy part mayeſt undertake for the Earth; that their ſong ſhall ſung out to the End; Heaven and Earth are full of the Majeſtie of thy Glory: that when both of them be full of his glory, there may be no roome left for any of ours.

And thus, my ſoule, when thou haſt made thee a Pillar of Thoughts, with theſe three, as I may call them, Pretious ſtones: The conſideration of thy ſin, with a penitent heart; The apprehenſiō of Gods mercy with a Faith unfained; & the Referring all to the Glory of God with an humble Reverence; thou wilt then be able to climbe up this ladder of Jacob, to the uppermoſt ſtep: where meeting with ſaints and holy Angels, that ſtand ready to receive thee, thou wilt bee taken into the number of their ſociety: the happineſſe of which cōpany, the joy of which Happineſſe, the greatnes of which joy, no Pillar of Thoughts can ever reach ſo high, as to apprehend; no, my ſoule, not ſo much as to Imagine: Yet adde this one Thought more to thy Pillar, to thinke of the great Difference of the Happineſſe that will bee then, and the Happineſſe that can bee now; for all our happineſſe now, is but Expectation of happineſſe; we joy not ſo much in that we are, whatſoever we are; as in that we hope we ſhall be, though wee know not what wee ſhall be; the minde is ſo longing after the Future, that it never reſts ſatisfied with the preſent; nor ever will, till there ſhall be no more Future to long after, but all ſhall be preſent; & then at laſt I ſhal have my wiſh; …or thou, my ſoule, wilt …hen be turned into a Pil…ar of Thoughts; they will …ot then bee voluble nor moveable, as now they are, being out of their right place, and having various objects; but they will be quiet and quieſcent, as being fixt in their true center, and fixed upon their proper object, The beautifull face of God bleſſed for ever; and never till then will thy ſtate be capable of this counſell, Quod ſis eſſe velis, nihilque malis.

But, O My ſoule, though thou have rayſed thy thoughts to a great height, & they ſeeme to have ſome ſolidneſſe in them; yet there is one doubt muſt bee cleared, before they can come to be a Pillar: for if the ſoule periſh with the body, as ſome vaine men Imagine, what will then become of thy thoughts? For the breath of man goeth out, he returnes againe to Earth, and then all his Thoughts periſh: and if all his thoughts periſh, he can then think no more; & if he can thinke no more, there can be no ſoule. For as theſoule is the life of the Body, ſo thinking is the life of the ſoule: That without thinking, at leaſt without a power to think it is a thing vaine to think there can be a ſoule. It is more vaine conceite, the to build caſtles in the ayre to think the ſoule lives wh… it is vaniſhed into ayre, an… of which when it dyes it i… truly ſaid; Et procul in tenu… em evanuit auram. For th… ſoule is a Breath, and th… death of the ſoule is th… laſt gaſpe of that breath and this is ſo plaine, tha… Salomon affirmes plainely; As a Beaſt dyeth, ſo dyeth a man; for they have all one Breath, all goe unto one place: and who knoweth the ſpirit of man that goeth upward, and the ſpirit of a beaſt that goeth downeward? And ſhall wee now thinke the ſoule lives, becauſe we know not how it dyes? ſhall wee therefore thinke there is a difference after death, betwixt the ſoule of a man and the ſoule of a Beaſt, becauſe we ſee there is no difference, nor none to be ſeene? What is this but to give the ſoule a Being, out of our owne not-knowing; and to make our ignorance her Foundation? Had the ſoule any being, but by being in the body; and how then can it have any longer being, then while it is in the body? If it be truely ſaid; Infundendo creatur, & creando infunditur; why is it not as truly ſaid, Extinguendo Exit, & Exeundo Extinguitur? Is the ſoule any thing but a temper of the Body; and when that temper ceaſeth, then alſo the ſoule, as well in man as in beaſt' ceaſeth? If the ſoule ſhould remaine after the body, it muſt remaine without its Faculties, at leaſt without a power to vſe its Faculties. And were not this a blemiſh to nature to give the ſoule Faculties; and not give a power to be able to uſe them? and uſe them it cannot without the body; and therefore without the body, without wrong to nature, we cannot think there can be a ſoule.

But, O my ſoule, what aſperſions are theſe upon Nature? Or rather what blaſphemies againſt the God of Nature? For did not God breath the ſoule of man into his body at firſt; and can Gods breath be ever out of breath? No more can the ſoule ever ceaſe to be. Did not God make the body and ſoule aſunder; and ſhall they not continue to be, when they are aſunder? The body gives not life to the ſoule; but it is the ſoule that gives life to the body: and ſhall that which giveth life ceaſe to bee, becauſe that, to which it giveth life, ceaſeth to bee? can any thing periſh that hath no contraries; at leaſt nothing within it, or without it, to oppoſe it? For all things periſh by one of theſe oppoſites; but the ſoule is a ſimple ſubſtance, uncompounded, & without mixture; and therefore neither hath contraries, nor any thing within it, or without it, to oppoſe it; and therefore cannot periſh: and therefore is immortall. Can any thing periſh, that is Principium ſibi ipſi, is life to it ſelfe; and ſuch a Principium hath God made the ſoule of man, and therefore cannot periſh, and therefore is immortall. The body periſheth not by Annihilating, but by being turned into its firſt matter, which was not the ſame that now it is, but duſt and earth: Neither can the ſoule periſh by Annihilating, but by being turned into its firſt matter, which was the ſame at firſt that now it is; and therefore other, then now it is, it can never bee, and therefore is Immortall. If the ſoule were made by God, and not made Immortall, either it was becauſe hee could not make it ſuch, or becauſe hee would not: to ſay hee could not, is to make him no God, becauſe not omnipotent. To ſay hee would not, is to make him not good, becauſe no rewarder of his ſervants; for what rewarding if the ſoule be mortal? An Angell can put on a body, though nature have ordained it none, and yet bee a perfect Angell ſtill; and why not the ſoule put off a body, though Nature have aſſigned it one: and yet remaine a perfect ſoule ſtill? God made man in his own image, and where i… is Gods image ſo appar… as in mans immortality? and wherein is mans immortality ſo apparent, as in his ſoule? The ſoule had a beeing when it came into the body, and ſhall it not have a being when it goes out of the body? was it ſeparate then, and is it inſeparable now? But then we muſt not conceive the ſoule of man to be ſuch a kinde of thing as the ſoule of a beaſt is. For the ſoule of a Beaſt is perhaps nothing elſe but the very life of the beaſt; or if a ſoule, yet ſuch a one as is endued onelyonly with the Faculties of ſenſe and vegetation, which depending upon bodily Organs, muſt needes decay with the decay of thoſe organs, and periſh with the body: but the Soule of man is a heavenly ſubſtance, endued beſides ſenſe and vegetation, with the divine Facultie of reaſon and underſtanding, which not depending upon bodily Organs, neither decayeth with their decaying, nor yet periſheth with the body, but is a ſubſtance ſubſiſting of it ſelfe; and as being a ſpirit, when once it leaves the body, aſcends up to the place of ſpirits; where God himſelfe is, who is the Father of Spirits; as Eccleſiaſtes ſaith; The Spirit returnes to God that gave it. And if the Soule be a Spirit, and God the Father of Spirits: Then muſt the ſoule be needes immortal; For though all things perhaps periſh, of which God is the Creator; yet nothing periſheth of which God is the Father.

God made the Beaſts living creatures all at once, at leaſt made the Earth bring them forth all at once: and as they were made all at once, ſo they periſh all at once, body and ſoule, ſuch a one as they have, both together: but God made man a living Creature by parts; and if his parts were made ſeverally; ſhall they not continue and ſubſiſt ſeverally? And although the body ſeparated from the ſoule, cannot long continue, becauſe it wants the cement of life that ſhould keepe it together: and being a compound matter, without its proper forme muſt needes be ſoone diſſolved into the firſt matter; yet the ſoule ſeparated from the Body, may continue long enough, ſeeing it is a ſimple forme, and a Cement to it ſelfe, which can never be diſſolved; and therefore is Immortall.

Is not the ſoule of man of a middle nature, betweene Formae ſimpliciter ſeparatae, and Formae ſimpliciter Inſeparabiles, between Formes that can never be but ſeparate, & formes that can ne'r be but inſeparable? and therfore the ſoule may informe the body, and yet ſubſiſt without informing it

But if the ſoule depend not upon the body, how happens it that if the heart or braine of a man bee wounded or hurt, the man dyes? I ſay not therefore that the ſoule depends not upon the body, but that the Rationall Soule depends not upon it: For the ſenſitive and vegetative parts of the ſoule depend, no doubt, upon the Heart and braine; the Animall upon the Braine, the Vitall upon the Heart; for theſe are their proper forges, I may ſay, & ſeats; and if any of theſe places bee ſo hurt, that it is made unfit to be their forge or ſeate any longer, they have then no longer any being in the body; becauſe no longer any operatiō in the body, as wanting their Forges to operate in & fit inſtrumēts to operate with, & then a man dyes. But yet why ſhould not the Rational ſoule ſtay in the body, though the ſenſitive be gone? for ſeeing it depends not upon any part of the body; why ſhould the hurt of any part of the body drive it away? It is not that, Quoad Exiſtentiā in corpore; as to ſubſiſting in the body, the ſoule is indiviſible? that if one Faculty bee aboliſhed, the other cannot ſtay? at leaſt, not the ſuperiour without the inferiour; not the Senſitive without the Vegetative; not the Rationall without the ſenſitive. For as the Elements of fire and earth, could never be joyned in one cōpound, if the aire & water did not intercede between them: ſo the Rational ſoule & the body could never bee joyned in one ſubſiſtence, if the ſenſitive and vegative parts did hot mediate between thē; and, were the bond of connexion to hold them together, the ſame perhaps w^ch Eccleſiaſtes calls the ſilver cord; that if this bee looſened, there is nothing to hold them any longer toge ther, but they are prefently parted from one another. And indeede, when the Rationall is left alone by it ſelfe, it is then Purè ſpiritus, meerely & ſimply a ſpirit; & being ſuch, it can not reſt any where, but either in Heaven or Hell: the two proper Centers of all ſeparate ſpirits. And ſeeing theſe places are immortall Manſions, what ſhould the ſoule do in either of thē, if it were mortall? The ſoule therefore, at leaſt the Rationall ſoule, which is alſo in Habit the whole ſoule, muſt needes be immortall.

If it may be made good, that the Rationall faculty can exerciſe its operation without bodily Organs, there needes then no other proofe, for the immortalitie of the ſoule, ſeeing Modus operandi ſequitur modum Eſſendi; As every thing operates, ſo it is: that if the ſoule can ope… rate without bodily Organs, it may then alſo ſub… ſiiſtwithout them; & if ſub… ſiſt without them, then i… it ſeparable from the body, and thereupon immortall. And that the Rationall faculty can exerciſe its operation with out bodily Organs, is a thing of all o… other the moſt apparent; for what is the proper worke of the Rationall faculty, but to contemplate, and to view it ſelfe in it ſelfe, as in a glaſſe by reflection? & who can deny, but that the ſoule can doe this of it ſelfe, without the helpe of any other; and then certainely, without the helpe of bodily Organs. The ſenſitive facultie indeede hath parts of the body made of purpoſe for the exerciſe of her operation: the eye to ſee; the eare to heare; the tongue to taſte; and for a ſpring head to them all, the braine in the Head; but the Rationall faculty hath no parts of the body made for her; and why hath it none, but becauſe it needes none: as that which can exerciſe its operatiō without them. For, if the Rationall faculty did uſe bodily Organs, as the ſenſitive doth, what reaſon can be given, why Beaſts ſhould not be reaſonable creatures as well as men? ſeeing they have as many, and all the ſame parts as mē have; that it muſt be acknowledged, ſome parts of the body, to bee either ſuperfluous in Beaſts, or defective in Men: ſuperfluous in Beaſts, if they have parts proper for underſtanding, and yet underſtand not; or defective in men, if they ſhould have parts proper for underſtanding, and have them not; which, becauſe both of them are in prejudice of Nature, therefore neither of them is to be admitted. It is true, the Rationall Faculty makes uſe ſometimes of the Fantaſie, an iſſue from the Braine, and may therefore be counted a Bodily Organ; at leaſt, Germen Organi: but this is not of neceſſity, but for convenience, whilſt it is in the Body; and that chiefly, if not only In ordine ad ſenſibilia: and if you will ſay, that the Rationall Faculty muſt needs directly have dependance upō the Brain; ſeeing when the Braine is hurt, the underſtanding is hurt; when the Braine is diſtempered, the underſtanding is diſtempered; as in drunken or Phrantick men; May it not be juſtly anſwered, that the operation of the underſtanding, in this caſe, is not meerely the worke of the Rationall Faculty, but rather a mixt worke of the Rationall and Senfitive both together; ſeeing the hurt or diſtemper of the Braine, workes not Primò & Per ſe upon the Rationall Faculty, but upon the Senſitive, and from thence is tranſmitted to the Rationall, onelyonly Compatiendo, by reaſon of the Sympathy that is betweene them; and this is no cauſe to inferre a neceſſity of Dependence: For, when upon the ſeparation of the Soule from the Body, the operation of the ſenſitive Faculty ſhall abſolutely ceaſe; this Sympathy betweene it and the Rationall Facultie ſhall then ceaſe alſo, and neither directly nor indirectly ther ſhall be then any more dependence upon the Braine Indeed the Soule, once ſeparated from the Body, hath no more uſe of the Braine, becauſe no more need of the Fantaſie at all, but moves then upon its owne hinges; and exerciſeth her operation within her owne Spheare, as that which can make its owne objects, and as being Speculum ſibi ipſi, a Glaſſe to it ſelf, by ſo much the cleerer, by how much the freer; for though the body be a neceſſary helpe to the ſenſitive Faculty, yet to the Intellectuall, at leaſt Quoad Intelligibilia, it is an impediment and a clogge, that from hence wee may draw an Argument, which drawes an Inference with it greater then it ſelf; That to which the Body is no helpe, but an impediment, not only may ſubſiſt without the Body, but may ſubſiſt the better; and if it may, then at laſt it muſt; For, Fruſtra fit potentia quae non reducitur in actum; Nature is no ſuch unskilfull Artificer, to make a power that comes not into act: and ſo it is for the credit of Nature, that the ſoule be immortall. And why hath Nature implanted in the Soule of man, a deſire of immortality, if it be not capable of immortality? Can any thing bee more vaine then to deſire impoſſibility? If it be not more vaine to thinke that Nature makes any thing in vaine; and ſo it is for the credit of Nature ſtill, that the ſoule bee immortall. Nature hath made man in Duration of Body, like to thoſe Inferiour Creatures, to whom ſhee hath made him like in faculties of the Body: and hath ſhe not as well in duration of Soule, made him like to thoſe Superiour Creatures, to whō ſhe hath made him like in Faculties of the Soule? And ſo it is for the Equity of Nature, that the Soule be immortall. But more than this, Nature hath given to her meaneſt creatures, as Trees and Beaſts, folong a continuance, that though they be not Eternall, yet they ſeeme to be Aeviternall; at leaſt, farre exceed the continuance of man; and would ſhee doe this, and not make man, her Nobleſt Creature, ſome amends for it, by a longer duration in another life? and ſo it is for the Equitie of Nature ſtill, that the Soule be immortall.

Who knowes not, that the Soule of man hath in it three Faculties, the Vegetative, the Senſitive, and the Rationall; of which, the two firſt are common to man with Beaſts; the third, proper only to man: The two firſt have relation onelyonly to the Body, and depend upon it: The third hath no relation, at leaſt no neceſſary relation to the Body, nor dependance on it; and therefore the two firſt make a Soule, which may properly bee called Anima: the third, a Soule, which may properly be called Spiritus, as Eccleſiaſtes calleth it: Not ſaying the Soule, but The Spirit returnes to God that gave it. Yet not that Anima and Spiritus are two diſtinct Soules, as the ancient Didymas thought, but that they are both but one Soule under two names, expreſſing a two-fold Exiſtence and Operation: properly Anima, as it Animates, and is ſenſitive and inſeparable: properly Spiritus, as inſeparable and intellectuall. And although the Soule, ſeparated from the Body, reteine all the three Faculties in Habit, yet the third onelyonly in Operation, becauſe only the third operates without bodily Organs, which the other two cannot; and yet reaſon enough to call it the immortality of the Soule; not onelyonly of the Spirit. And further, it may perhaps be, that as while the Soule is in the Body, the Rationall Faculty makes uſe of ſome things which were made of purpoſe for the Senſitive Faculty: So when the Soule ſhall be ſeparated from the Body, the ſenſitive Faculty ſhall have the power of reflexion, and be Speculum ſibi ipſi, a Glaſſe to it ſelf, which was proper before to the Rationall Faculty: at leaſt, by the like Endowment, whereby Angels ſee and heare, be enabled to doe that without bodily Organs, which it could not do before, but with them.

If the Soule of man were not immortall, it ſhould be Ex Traduce from the Patents, as the ſoules of Beaſts are, which are drawn E potentia materiae, from the power of the matter, of which their bodies are made; but the Soule of man is not drawn from the power of the matter; but Extrinſecus advenit, commeth to the Body from a forraigne power: as Chriſt ſaith, Pater meus uſque nunc operatur, and therefore is not Ex Traduce; and therefore is immortall. That which is drawne from the power o… the matter, muſt needes be materiall; but the ſoule of man is a ſubſtance immateriall; for if it were not immateriall, how could it cō prehend things that are immateriall? ſeeing Modus operandi ſequitur modum Eſſendi; Every thing operates according to its Eſſence; but the ſoule of man cōprehends things immateriall, Angels and Spirits, Formes and Univerſals: and could it doe this, if it were not that? could it apprehēd things immateriall, if it ſelf were not immateriall? A ſtream can never naturally riſe higher than its Spring; lower it may fall, & levell it may runne, but higher it cannot riſe; ſo if the ſoule were materiall, it could never riſe to apprehend things immateriall, which are higher than it ſelfe; but being immateriall, it may apprehend things materiall, which are lower than it ſelf; and things alſo immateriall, which are but levell with it ſelfe; and then, if it be immateriall, it is alſo incorruptible: For all corruption is from matter; where no matter is, there can be no corruption; and if incorruptible, then alſo immortall; for all Mortality is from corruption; where no corruption is, there can be no mortality; and ſo of theſe linkes I may ſay, is made up the chaine of the ſoules immortality: It is not drawne from the power of the matter; and therefore is immateriall; and therefore is incorruptible; and therefore is immortall.

But if the ſoule be not Ex Traduce from the Parents; why is it ſaid in Geneſis, that ſixty ſix ſoules went down with Jacob into Aegypt, which came all out of his loynes? for what is it to come out of his loines but to be Ex Traduce? Is it not, that they are called ſoules, becauſe they were perſons then living, when they went downe into Aegypt? Or is it, that they are called ſoules, à Notiori parte, not à meliori; from …he ſenſitive and vegetative parts, which are viſible, and, in a kinde, common to man with Beaſts; and therfore in a kind alſo, tranſmitted from the Parents; but the intellectuall part, which onelyonly is the ſoule that properly is immortal, was never in the loynes of Jacob; and therefore iſſued not to his iſſue frō thence; nor is Ex Traduce from the Parents.

But how then comes o… riginall ſinne to be in the ſoule, if it be not tranſmitted from the Parents? and how is it tranſmitted, if the ſoule be not Ex Traduce? O my Soule, is not this the doubt, that gravelled the great Saint Auſtin, a knot that hath buſied the moſt learned wits to untye, and yet perhaps is not ſo untyed, but that it remaines intangled ſtill? at leaſt, the ſolution to ordinary capacities not made ſo plaine, but that there are ſeeming difficulties ſtill in it? For is it enough to ſay, that Adams ſinne was not onelyonly perſonall, but extends to all mankinde? Or to ſay, that he ſinned not as a private perſon, but as one that obliged his whole Poſterity? For doth it not follow by this, that originall ſinne ſhould be by imputation rather than by inherencie? when yet the ſaying of David, I was co… ceived in ſinne, pretends to more then imputation? And if it be inherent, then muſt it bee tranſmitted from the Parents; and if tranſmitted from them, then muſt the ſoule alſo be Ex Traduce; and ſo, this ſeemes not to cleare the doubt, but leaves us in the bryers with S. Auſtin ſtill.

Is it then, that as Saint James ſaith, He that breaketh one Commandement, is guilty of the breach of all: ſo if ſome part of the ſoule be tainted with ſinne, it ſets a taint upō the whole? And is it not, that ſo much of the ſoule, as is common to man with Beaſts, which are the ſenſitive and vegetative, may well enough be ſaid to be Ex Traduce from the Parents; and with them the concupiſcible part, which is the proper ſeate and origin of ſin? and they being originally tainted with ſinne, as being tranſmitted from the Parents, ſet a taint alſo upon the intellectuall part, by the union with them; and yet, no conſequence, that this, as they, ſhould be Ex Traduce from the Parents. What though the ſoule were breathed by God, entire at firſt into the body: Is it neceſſary it ſhould be ſo continued, as it was at firſt given? Why more, then that the body was made by God, all at once at firſt; and yet now by generation, is continued and made up by parts? For who knowes not the order of Nature in forming the parts of the Body in the Mothers wombe? Firſt, the heart is formed and lives; an… this is yet but the vegetative part of the ſoule: the… (after the forming of ſome Miniſteriall parts) the Braine; and this is yet bu… the ſenſitive part of the ſoule; and thus farre, Ex Traduce from the Parents may not unprobably bee allowed: but the Rationall part is behind ſtill, as having no part of the body for the Fountaine of her operation. This therefore remaines to be infuſed by God, and is perhaps one of the workes which Chriſt meant, when hee ſaid, Pater meus uſque nunc operatur; and differs from the firſt worke but onelyonly in this, that where hee then breathed the whole ſoule into the Body at once, hee now leaves to Nature the two inferiour parts, and reſerves to himſelfe onelyonly the conſummating part, which is the Rationall.

But would it not follow by this, there ſhould bee two ſoules in man; one generated by the Parents, another immitted into the Body by God? Indeede no; for they make all but one ſoule, onelyonly augmented by a Faculty; or rather not a Faculty, but the true ſubſtance which makes it properly to bee a ſoule: For where onelyonly the vegetative is, as in Trees; or only the vegetative & ſenſitive, as in beaſts, though they be commonly called ſoules; yet, truly conſidered, they are but Faculties of life, drawne E…potentia materiae, from the power of the matter, of which the creatures are made, and are but as degrees and ſtages to the Rationall; this only that, which conſummates and perfits it to be a ſoule and is ſo a part of the ſoule that it makes the whol… ſoule indiviſible into parts and as comming immediately from God himſelfe … can never be diſſolved, but by God himſelfe; and is therefore by his Decree, immortall; which the vegetative & ſenſitive could never be, if the Rationall did not take them into her ſociety, or rather joyne them as uniſons in Muſick …nd make them one with …er owne being. That which is a Roofe to a low…r roome, is but a Floore …o a higher; and ſo the …egetative which was a …oule in Plants; is but a Faculty to the ſenſitive in Beaſts; and the ſenſitive, which was a ſoul in Beaſts, …s but a Faculty to the Rationall in man; for the Rationall is the ſupreme Roofe that perfits it to be a ſoule, and makes it fixt; and therefore immortall. But as the Rationall makes the ſenſitive immortall in one kinde; ſo the ſenſitive makes the Rationall mortall in another; not in duration, but in corruption▪ as tainting it with that fin which brought the ſentence of Morte morieris upon Adam, and juſtly in Adam upon all his poſterity But whether the corruption of the ſenſitive, before the Rationall come to it, which, according to the beſt Writers, is not till the fourth month after conceptiō, make the Embryon, dying within that ſpace, obnoxious to originall ſin or no, is a depth that exceeds the line of my knowledge; and perhaps of any mans elſe, without Divine Revelation: For though the ſoule be not actually perfitted, till that time; yet it is actually prepared, and hath an actuall Praeviam pravam diſpoſitionem in it before that time; and who can tell, whether this may not ſerve, and be ſufficient to make obnoxious? For why elſe ſhould David ſay, I was conceived in ſinne, when the Rationall is not infuſed, till after the conception?

Or is it not, that to ſay, The ſoule is Ex Traduce from the Parents, and the ſoule is not Ex Traduce from the Parents, are both true in the Disjunctive, becauſe the Rationall is not, the ſenſitive is; but that the whole Soule is guilty of originall ſin; not onelyonly when borne, but when firſt conceived, univerſally may paſſe without disjunctive. Or is it not, that when God at firſt created Adam, it is ſaid, Male and female created hee them; and therfore, though the ſoule be Ex Traduce from the Parents; yet till the Embryon be ſo farre growne, that it may bee ſaid to be Male or Female; which is not, till the parts be all formed, and that it hath its perfit ſhape (which is not till a certaine time after the conception; but that certaine time, uncertaine how long) it cannot be juſtly thought to bee obnoxious to originall ſin, becauſe not be murder in any that ſhall deſtroy it. And this may appeare by the Law which Moſes ſets downe, Exod. 21. If one ſtrike a woman, that her fruit go from her; which in ſome Copies is thus expreſt, that her fruit goe from her, not perfitly ſhaped, the puniſhment ſhall be the lighter but if perfitly ſhaped, th… puniſhment ſhall be death And as long as it is in ſtate not to make it murder i… any that ſhall deſtroy it ſo long, neither can it be… in ſtate, to be obnoxious to originall ſinne. Or may it not perhaps be true, tha… the whole ſoule, with all its Faculties, is Ex Traduc… from the Parents; as hath been held by many? and ſo indeed it will be plaine, how originall ſinne is propagated: But then, it will not be ſo plaine, how the ſoule ſhall be immortall; For if it bee Ex Traduce from the Parents, it muſt be drawne E potentia materiae, from the power of the matter; and if drawn from the power of the matter, then muſt it be materiall, as the ſoule of a Beaſt is; and if materiall, then alſo corruptible; and if corruptible, then alſo morta… Indeed no; for though … be drawne E potentia materiae, from the power of th… matter; yet not from th… power of the matter, ſimply; but E potentia materiae inſpiratae à Deo, from the power of the matte… inſpired by God; as i… was at firſt in Adam, and as in Beaſts, it never was; and though the being drawne from the power of …e matter, would make it …e mortall; yet Inſpiratio …ei, the being inſpired by God, makes it be, as himſelfe is, immortall. When God at the Creation brea…ed the ſoule into the bo…y of Adam, there is …othing ſpoken of the …oule of Eve, becauſe ſhee was taken out of Adams …ide; and if it ſerved her …or a ſoule, that ſhe was made of a part of Adam body; why not as well alſo for all other Deſcendents from Adam, Et natis natorum & qui naſcentur ab… illis? ſeeing as the ſoule was then Tota in toto, & tota in qualibet parte, all in the whole, and all in every part of Adams body; ſo it is ſtill in every one of ours.

Or laſtly, if this alſo be refuſed; Is it not then, that we are all borne of that …curſed ſeed, upon which …e ſentence of Morte mo…eris, was, for the ſinne of …iſobedience, juſtly pro…ounced; and though the …oule be not Ex Traduce …om the parents; yet when … once joynes with this …ccurſed ſeed, and is made …ne with it; it juſtly be…omes both guilty of the …inne and ſubject to the …urſe; and ſhall ſo continue, untill the ſeede of the woman take both the guilt of the ſinne, and the curſe of the Law upon himſelfe, to free us from both; and now if you will ſay, It is hard meaſure in God, to lay the penalty of one mans offence, upon all his poſterity; you muſt withall ſay, it is great mercy in God, to impute the merit of one mans righteouſneſſe, to all his followers; that as the moſt you can ſay in that caſe, is that God is a juſt Judge; ſo the leaſt you can ſay in this caſe, is, that he is a Mercifull Redeemer, and now and ever, a Faithfull Creatour.

If the ſoule did die with the body, why ſhould it not as well be ſicke with the body, and grow old with the body? But this is found by daily experience, that in the ſickneſſe of the body, the ſoule is commonly beſt in health; and in the age of the body, the ſoule is yet yong ſtill, or rather hath the greateſt vigour in theſe two ſeaſons; the ſenſitive part indeed, becauſe it uſeth bodily Organs, muſt needes decay with their decaying; but the intellectuall part which neither uſeth any, nor hath uſe of any, continues to be it ſelfe ſtill, what ever they be; corrupted perhaps in her quality, but not made corruptible in her ſubſtance; and even when it is at the very point of disbanding and leaving the body, yet then ſhe exerciſeth the operation of her Faculty, in as great vigour as ever, underſtands as much, knowes as much, apprehends as much as at any time before: And could it doe ſo, if it depended upon the body, which is then all out of frame and in confuſion? It is indeed plainly to be ſeene, that while the vegetative Facultie is in the greateſt vigour, all that while wee uſe the ſenſitive but little, the Rationall not at all, as is ſeen in Infants and little Children; and while the ſenſitive Faculty is in the greateſt vigour, all that while we uſe the Rationall but little, which makes youth commonly ſo intemperate as it is; but when the ſenſitive and vegetative Faculties grow to decay, as in old age they doe, then comes the Rationall to be in greateſt force; which makes old men commonly to be of ſoundeſt judgements; and therefore ſeeing the Rationall Faculty decayes not with the body, as the other doe; neither is it poſſible it ſhould be extinct with the Body, as the other are.

If the ſoule periſh together with the body, then it periſheth before the body; for the body reteines its proportion and ſhape, at leaſt for ſome time, after the ſoul hath left it; but the foule, if it periſh then, reteines nothing at all of all her Faculties, they are all extinct and gone; and ſo by this reckoning, the body ſhould be a longer laſter than the ſoule; which though it be true in Beaſts, whoſe ſoule is perhaps nothing but the life; yet it is falſe in man, whoſe ſoule is a ſubſtance, ſubfiſting by it ſelfe, and ſeparable from the body.

But though by theſe words of Salomon, Who knoweth the Soule of a man that goeth downward, or the ſoule of a man that goeth upward; It may be gathered there is Aliquid imperceptibile in the ſoule of man, ſomething ſo obſcure and hidden, that makes it impoſſible to be thorowly underſtood; and therefore no demonſtrative Arguments can bee drawne from thence, to make a peremptory concluſion of its immortality; yet there are Arguments enow, ſome drawne from the nature of the ſoule it ſelfe, and ſome from forraigne circumſtances, that evidently evince it, againſt all oppoſition, to bee immortall: For the ſoule of man can apprehend immortality, which Beaſts cannot; and ſhall it not bee capable of immortality, though Beaſts are not? And more then this, the ſoule of man can diſcharge the Function of immortality, which is to make of all times, one; reducing the time paſt, and that which is to come, into the preſent; and is it poſſible it ſhould doe the worke of immortality, and not bee immortall? If the ſoule of man bee not immortall, then neither are the Angels immortall; for they are all made of the ſame immateriall mettall; which if it be durable in the one, why not as well durable in the other? muſt not thoſe creatures be needes of the ſame nature and condition, which do all alike the ſame actions, inſiſt all alike upon the ſame object, have all alike the ſame Summum bonum; but all theſe are common alike to men and Angels; to both which the Summum Bonum is to enjoy Gods Preſence; the chiefe Object, is the bleſſed Face of God; the Finall actions, are to glorifie God; if then Immortality be granted to the Nature of Angels; how can it be denyed to the Soule of man? The Soule of man can apprehend God, who onelyonly is immorall; and can that be mortall, which apprehends him that is immortall? and more then this, the ſoule of man is the onelyonly Creature in this inferiour world, that can praiſe God; and ſeeing Gods praiſe ſhall never ceaſe; can that ceaſe which is to praiſe him? And ſo it is for the glory of God, that the ſoule be immortall. Hath not God made the Heavens and the Earth for the uſe of man, therein to glorifie him? and ſhall he uſe them no longer than this life? and longer he cannot uſe them if the ſoule be mortall: and ſo it is for the glory of God ſtill, that the ſoule be immortall. If the ſoule be not immortall; when is it, that God puniſheth the wicked, and rewardeth the godly? ſeeing, not in this life, if not in another? and not in another, if the ſoule be mortall? and ſo it is for the Juſtice of God, that the ſoule be immortall. If the ſoule bee not immortall; what good is it, that In memoria aeterna erit justus, the Righteous ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance; of which hee can neither be ſenſible nor intelligent? and ſo it is fo… the Juſtice of God ſtil, that the ſoule bee immortall. If the ſoule be not immortall, how ſhall the places of the Angels that fell, be filled up againe? Or ſhall they ſtand empty for ever, as though God had not power to fill them up? and ſo it is for the Power of God, that the ſoule bee immortall. If the Soule be not immortall; how is God, the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaack, and the God of Jacob? for he is not the God of the dead, but of the living; and living they could not be, if the Soule were mortall; and ſo it is for the Power of God ſtill, that the ſoule be immortall? And now, my ſoule, wilt thou rather detract from Gods Glory, from his Juſtice, from his Power, than believe and acknowledge, that the ſoule is immortall? Shall Heathen men, who had ſcarce any hope of good after this life? Shall a Heathen Poet ſay, Et cum frigida mors Anima ſeduxerit artus; making death not a deſtruction of the ſoule, but onelyonly a ſeparation of it from the body; and ſhall we whoſe chiefe bleſſedneſſe conſiſts in the expectation of our ſoules bleſſednes after this life, make a doubt, whether the ſoule of man be immortall, or no? Are there not manifeſt Arguments to evince it; and ſuch as are obvious to ſenſe, both in the dead, and in the living? For, is it nothing, that in all ages there have beene apparitions of man departed; whereof, though ſome perhaps be Fables, and ſome deluſions; yet many, no doubt, are true Relations, and have beene Reall Repreſentations; which could be none, if the ſoule were mortall. And if it be doubted, whether any ſuch apparitions have been, or no; have we not the learned Melancthon, a reverend Writer of late time, affirming himſelfe to have beene an eyewitneſſe? Have wee not the learned Ludovicus Vives, affirming many of his acquaintance, men worthy of credit, to have ſeene and ſpoken with them, and heard many things related by them, above the pitch of Nature? that nothing is more certaine than ſuch apparitions, which could be none, if the ſoule were mortall. What though it were not the true Samuel that appeared to Saul, but a deluſion of Satan; yet was there no ground for his uſing ſuch deluſion, which could be none, if the ſoule were mortall. Is it nothing, that the Devill oftentimes makes Pacts and bargaines with wicked men, to doe great matters for them in this preſent life, upon a hope and deſire of their deſtruction in the next? which could be none if the ſoule were mortall: and if any doubt of ſuch Pacts with the Devill, have we not Confitentes reos, daily examples of Delinquents themſelves, averring it at their deaths, no time to diſſemble? that nothing is more certaine, then that ſuch Pacts are made; which could be none, if the ſoule were mortall. Is it nothing, that the conſciences of all men, whether good or bad, give evident teſtimony of this truth, of the ſoules immortality? For why elſe ſhould good men dye ſo patiently, indeed ſo joyfully, if they had not a hope of a better life after this? which could bee none if the ſoule were mortall. Or why ſhould wicked men dye ſo unwillingly, indeed ſo fearefully, if their conſcience did not give them, there would be ſenſe of paine remaining after death; which could be none, if the ſoule were mortal Have not all wiſe men, a the world over, affirme and beleeved the ſoule o… man to be immortall; onelyonly ſome few fooles wh… have ſaid in their hearts there is no God; hav… ſaid alſo with thei… mouthes, The ſoule i… mortall: and ſhall we rather joyne in aſſent wit… theſe few fooles, tha… with thoſe many wiſe men? No, my ſoule, let Epicureans, and Sadducees, and Atheiſts doubt their pleaſures, till their doubt be reſolved by the feeling Argument of eternall paines; but let this be thy Pillar, or rather thy Murus Aheneus; that after this life, there will be reward for the Godly, and puniſhment for the wicked; that In memoria aeterna erit juſtus; the Righteous ſhall bee had in Everlaſting remembrance; that the number of Angels that fell from Heaven, ſhall be filled up with Saints from the Earth; and eſpecially, that God is the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaack, and the God of Jacob; and then I doubt not thou wilt be ſatisfied of this doubt; and not on…y of thine owne, but of …hy bodies immortality; that ſo thou maiſt por …onelyonly immortally be Spiritus, but immortally be Anima; for though thou wilt properly bee but Spiritus, till the body riſe againe; yet after the Re…urrection, thou wilt pro…erly be Anima againe, and have all thy Faculties, not onelyonly in Habit, but in Operation, and Animate the Body in a greater perfection than ever before; for the body will then have greater endowments of thy Facultie … thou art properly … by a more vigorous vegetation, and perſpicacity of ſenſe, and greater endowments alſo of thy Faculties, as thou art properly Spiritus, by celerity of motion, and by ſubtilty of dimenſion; by which perhaps it was that Chriſt after his Reſurrection, came in amongſt his Apoſtles when the doores were ſhut; for ſo it was fit for a body being then ſpirituall. Now indeede, Corpus aggravat Animam, the body is a burthen to the ſoule; but as much as the body aggravates the ſoule now, and makes her participate of its infirmities, ſo much and more will the ſcale then alleviate the body, and make it participate of her perfections.

And who now is ſo ſtupid, that findes not a ſweet ſhowre of perſwaſion to fall upon him from this cloud of Reaſons? whereof, though every drop by it ſelfe may ſeeme to wet but little, yet all together make a ſhowre able to wet to the roote; but if any mans temper be ſo hard, that no ſhowre will mollifie it; if any man be ſo unreaſonable, that no reaſon will ſatisfie him; yet there is hope, that Faith will; for Faith raines downe a ſtronger ſhowre of perſwaſion than Reaſon can; and this beliefe of the ſoules Immortality, is the mayne Root, upon which all Faith is grounded; For if the ſoule bee not believed to bee Immortall; where is the aſſurance of forgiveneſſe of ſinnes? where the hope of Reſurrection from the Dead? where, the expectation of life everlaſting? And if any man ſtill be poſſeſt with a ſtupidity of this doubt, that, neither Reaſon can perſwade him, as a man; nor Faith over-rule him, as a Chriſtian, I muſt then leave him, to feede upon graſſe with the Beaſt of the Field, like Nabuchadonozer, untill like Nabuchodonozer he recover his ſenſes; and recant his Errour; and then hee will bee able and ſhall have leave, to make a benefit, and to take the benefit of this cloud of Reaſons.

And now, my ſoule, thou art ſure of immortality, a Fee Simple, that no time can weare out, no forfeiture extinguiſh: but alas! what good is it to have Immortality, if it be not accompanied with Beatitude? and accompanied with Beatitude it will never bee, if God vouchſafe not his Beatificall Viſion; and that Viſion hee will never vouchſafe thee, if thou bee not Mundo Corde, of a pure heart in his ſight: For Be…ti mundo Corde, quoniam …pſi videbunt Deum, Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God: O therefore, my ſoule, endevour ſo to ſerve God, with a pure heart in this mortall life, that wh… thou commeſt to thy true Immortality in the next thou mayſt be admitted to ſee that Beatificall Viſion; …nd mayſt be immortall in …joying of Happineſſe and not in feeling of torments; thy Joy may bee …mmortall, and not thy Miſery. And let this bee …y Pillar upon which to …xe thy Thoughts.

End of the text · Sir Richard Baker, A Soliloquy of the Soul (1641)