The Great Soul of Man, Tract (2 of 4)

The Great Soul of Man · Tract (2 of 4)

p. 79As when firſt we aſcribe to Spirit ſimplicity, It is eaſie to argue, that the more any thing is ſimple, ſincere, and one with it ſelf, with the more certainty it doth hold its own ſubſiſtence, p. 80in that it can run no hazard, but of its entire ſingle eſſence, whereas compounded Beings are in perpetual danger of a diſſolution; and the more one and ſingle any thing is, with the more force and power it proceeds to its effects, ſeeing it moves at once with its whole ſelf, and a perfect union of its ſtrength: whereas alſo compounded Beings muſt be accountable for their parts, which muſt be made good, that there may be a full force for the effect; but parts being but looſly ſet together, if any be loſt, the whole is impaired, and weakened according to the nobleneſs and value of the part it hath loſt: Laſtly, that ſelf-communion and communication, whereby any Being hath its center every where in it ſelf, and hath in every point of it ſelf, the center of its own Intelligence of it ſelf, is vaſtly neceſſary, that any efficient may work with counſel and deſign, and the full improvement of it ſelf to every thing it would bring to paſs; ſo that theſe things are hereby manifeſted, to be true Characters of ſuch a Being, as we call Spirit, infinite in the infinite Spirit; in created Spirits ſutable and p. 81proportionable to the rank of their Creation, and ſo in the Soul of man, (though under the reſtraint and diſadvantages of a Body joined with it) in which we are particularly to take notice of the great force and conſequences of theſe Characters.

1. From hence it follows, The Soul is a moſt active Being, of greateſt life, vigour, and motion, in a perpetual intellectual ſelf-motion, like the Sun that is always playing its beams and light; God hath prepared the Soul for ſuch a motion; in its very creation he deſigned it for motion, and ſet it into motion, a rational motion of underſtanding, will, affection, imagination, and remembrance, ſelf-reflexion, and conſcience. In theſe it hath a moſt lively agitation of it ſelf, as ſoon as ever it was in being, from the very firſt moments of its being, and in the very nature of its being, it became a perpetual motion, a ſelf-motion, or mover of it ſelf; we may perceive it in the quick and free motion of Thought, the continual motion of Thought, that never reſts. The purity, fineneſs, and ſimplicity of it, aſſures it cannot but be natural to it, p. 82to move, and move it ſelf. God impreſſed it with life and action in the very make of it; ſeeing it is all ſelf, and all of it received motion alike from the firſt mover, it can have no heavy and ſluggiſh parts to heave from their reſt, and carry along with it, by which its motion, being controlled, ſhould grow dull. The moſt vivacious parts of Body, and which are moſt active, having ſo much load, ſo much dull matter, to inſpire and move on, are eaſily damped, but it is not ſo with Spirit.

And then from without, Bodies continually have their motion arreſted, by encountring other Bodies of a contrary intention, imprinted with the juſt oppoſite motion; but Spirit finds nothing abroad to cool, but every thing provokes, every thing ſtirs up their motion: For it is moved to move ſelf, by every thing that preſents it ſelf to it, and the more object the more motion; like a violent recoil from a hard body, the motion back is made fiercer. Every thing the Soul meets, inſtead of abating its motion, reflects it with a new force, and returns it upon more vehement examination p. 83and enquiry; that is, more earneſt motion, if it be in things pertaining to its knowledge; but if in things related to its affection, the action is more forcible upon it ſelf with pleaſure or vexation, according to the nature of what is encountred.

Whatever is to be abated from this account of the Souls motion, muſt be imputed to the inconvenience of its working by Body, whoſe chanels are ſo tender and brittle, and cannot endure too great vehemency; in compaſſion to which the motion is moderated, the conduits are ſo ſtrait, and obſtructed through the Senſes unexerciſed to the uſes and ends of the Soul, that its action cannot ſtream out like it ſelf: Laſtly, the inſtruments and organs grow weary and heavy, by the diſadvantages and rencounters, the parts of matter have between themſelves; upon which the Souls motion ſeems ſlower, and tired alſo.

Yet there is no time wherein Thought ſtands ſtill, though in the narroweſt Soul, and how meanly ſoever it be employed, as it is in ignorant and ſordid minds. But further, there are at all times great Examples p. 84of the lively motions of the Soul of man, in wiſe and excellent perſons, and of the greatneſs and vehemency thereof; which is yet a thouſand fold greater, and will be perfect in the everlaſting ſtate: Its motion will be then wound up to the higheſt, and there will be no allay from a heavy Body; then all the thoughts, affections, powers, will ſally out with an unimaginable life. Oh how neceſſary is it, that we prepare by holy motion, and action now, to that motion, that it may be bleſſed, ſeeing there is no reſt from it, there is no quieting it, nor ſo much as ſlackning the ſwiftneſs of it. If it be not a motion that makes happy and bleſſed, it is yet as high a motion, but in miſery, and to the perfection of miſery.

2. Hence it follows, the Soul is immortal, becauſe it is perfectly it ſelf, and ſo ſeparated from all things elſe; for the alteration of things in matter is from their compoſition, one thing having many meeting to make it up, and theſe either ſtruggling and conteſting among themſelves, the ſtronger ſubduing the weaker, or by the forcibleneſs of outward impreſſion upon p. 85one, or more of the ingredients, a diſſolution of that compoſure is brought to paſs. The Heavens, and heavenly Bodies being purer, and more uncompounded have ſtood ſo many Ages with ſo little alteration.

A Spirit being ſimply and entirely it ſelf can neither be forced aſunder by feuds within it ſelf, nor by violence from without; there being nothing in its ſubſtance to make any inteſtine War, nor any thing weaker or ſtronger to ſubdue, or be ſubdued; and therefore it receives all ſtrokes upon its whole ſelf, as an Anvile that is beaten cloſer and more united by all the Hammers that fall upon it. All the griefs and troubles, and diſquiets that riſe up in it, are only the croſſes and counter motions, and actions of its ſentiments and apprehenſions; yea the very diſmal falls of Divine Diſpleaſure upon it, do but awaken and ſtir up ſad and grievous apprehenſions in it, but do not in the leaſt touch the eſſence or ſubſtance of the Soul to weaken it.

This is that death, the only death of the Soul, that it is capable of a darkneſs in the loſs of that Beauty, p. 86and excellency of holy motion, and in the deprivation of happineſs and bleſſedneſs, the favour of God, a loſs of its perfection without any diminution of Being. And though it be now in the Body, and ſeems to be loſt in the ruines of that, yet it is indeed ſo perfectly it ſelf, ſo ſeparable in its nature from the Body, (as I have already diſcours'd at large) ſo diſtinct and complete in it ſelf, that it is only acquitted from that in death, not at all altered or changed in its ſubſtantial ſelf.

So then this ſimplicity of the Soul witneſſes the Immortality of its nature, and that it cannot be diſſolved like the things of this world, that conſiſt in the union of ſeveral things, that conſpire and meet together, and afterwards flye aſunder; but the Soul hath nothing to loſe, or part from, but its whole ſelf, being one ſimple thing; One All, and All One, there can be no diſſolution.

Nay the things of this world, although they are ſeveral things, united and made up ſo into one, as ſeveral things can be, and when thoſe ſeveral things flye aſunder, that one thing is diſſolved; yet becauſe the parts ſtill p. 87continue to be, they become ſomething elſe; for there can be no annihilation, or bringing things back to nothing but by the omnipotency that created them; ſo that all the death and diſſolution, that is in whole nature, is but only a continual flux and reflux; a perpetual paſſing out of one ſhape, figure, nature, into another, which, becauſe things love to be as they are, look for the preſent like death, periſhing, and the decay of the world it ſelf; although the compoſition, for that time being, is only brought to ruine; and although the parts, it may be, are meliorated, made more beautiful and advanced; as when a Veſſel of Silver deſigned for baſer uſe is broken to pieces, purged in the Refiners fire, and then made a Veſſel of honour, and the materials of a meaner and decayed Building taken down, and laid into a nobler Structure; yet while this is doing, it hath the appearance of ſpoil and deſtruction, whereas indeed all, even to the very Fragments, is gathered up that nothing may be loſt, not ſo much as the filth of the Veſſel, or the duſt of the Building.

p. 88We may then thus far derive from lower Nature, what may make the Immortality of the Soul an eaſier Notion to us: For we ſee, It is the twiſting things together, with ſuch unequal ſtrengths of the Parts in motion one againſt another, and the liableneſs of thoſe Parts to the impreſſion of Forreign Motion, that let in the Mortality and Frailty that is in worldly Things; that ſo by the prevalency ſometimes of one thing, ſometimes of another, there might be thoſe continual Changes and Viciſſitudes, that God hath appointed for Purpoſes moſt agreeable to the greatneſs and myſteriouſneſs of his moſt wiſe Government and Providence.

But the ſimpler, and more ſelf any thing is, the more hardly it is altered, till we come to that which is call'd Firſt Matter and Motion, which in the abſtract Notion of them, and as they are by themſelves, cannot be chang'd or loſt, but by annihilation.

For that we call Firſt Matter, or Matter, as we underſtand it unimpreſs'd by Form, or Particular Nature; though as it is in Particular Nature it by always dying out of one p. 89Shape, Figure, Nature, into another; is yet ſo immortal in it ſelf, that it cannot it ſelf periſh but by annihilation: And that Motion which is us'd by God for the twirling this Matter into ſo many ſeveral Forms, and is perpetually flitting from one part of it to another, and is even driven and expuls'd by the Contraſts it hath with it ſelf, as it is in thoſe ſeveral parts of Matter, from one to another; cannot yet be ſpent in the Sum, or any Degree of it be abated in the Total.

Theſe two, becauſe thus abſtracted, they are perfectly and intirely themſelves, have thus much of Immortality, that they never take End, till an End is put to them by Almighty Efficiency: But Matter is laid by God, and ſo lies as a Foundation of his Works, that cannot be removed; and Motion is the Inſtrument he hath prepared for the management of thoſe his Works; and theſe in their ſimple ſelves have no Jars within, nor cannot be touched by any extern Hand; but as they are in compoſition, undergo thoſe ſeveral Changes, and haſten out of the poſture into another, as it pleaſed God; being ſtill the ſame in themſelves: p. 90For all that Matter can be ſqueez'd into, is Matter; and all that Motion can be overcome into, is Motion; and ſo they will be, till they are diſannull'd by God.

And thus the Soul, its own Subſtance, its own Motion, receiving both from God in its very Being, and ſo being all Self, as an unſhaken Rock, or Firſt Matter, bears and lies under all the diſpoſes of God, and as higheſt Life turns every way with, & ſubſerves his admirable Adminiſtrations upon it ſelf, which are all in Righteouſneſs, Holineſs, Juſtice, and Mercy. This Spirit, I ſay, lies under all poſſible Impreſſions that can be made on a Soul; and yet it is a Soul ſtill, it is always the ſame; It is always the ſame as to its Eſſence, and cannot be ſo altered or changed, as to become another Thing: It muſt be it ſelf, or it muſt be nothing; and all Action upon it, can but provoke it to Intellectual Action: So it is found, and ſo it is left by every thing that comes near it, except God ſhould come to make a final Determination upon its Being. There is no change upon the Subſtance of a Spirit, but Annihilation: p. 91The State, and Condition, and Quality of it may be chang'd from Good to Evil, from Evil to Good, from Happineſs to Miſery, from Miſery to Happineſs; the very Being remains unalterable, while it is.

The onelyonly way then of the Souls coming to an end, muſt be by Annihilation, or being cruſh'd to Nothing by Infinite Power: Concerning which, let us further conſider,

It is true, the Eſſence and Exiſtence of the Soul are ſeveral things: that is, There is the Nature of the Soul in general, and this is one thing, and is call'd its Eſſence; and this conſidered in a poſſibility of Actual Being, or not Being, as it may be, or may not be: When it is, we call it Exiſtence, or Actual Being; and this is another thing from its Eſſence. Therefore it might either not have come into Being at all; or after it is come into Being, it may be turn'd out of Being by the immediate Power of God, who gave it Being, who onelyonly can annihilate or bring to nothing that which is.

In all theſe things the Soul is beyond all expreſſion excell'd by God, who onelyonly, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, hath p. 92immortality: For he it is alone that in the trueſt ſenſe is what he is; ſo inconceivably and perfectly Himſelf, that he is onelyonly of, and from himſelf; and Himſelf ſo infinitely, that he comprehends and embraces in himſelf the whole Divine Nature, and there is not a ſecond God. He is alone, and beſides him there is no God; he knows not any other; with him there is no variation nor ſhadow of turning, neither in his Being, nor in any of the Attributes of his Being: Moſt Great and Good, Moſt Happy and for ever Beſt. For he hath all within himſelf, and there is nothing without him of any compare with him, not any thing, but what receives Being from him; ſo that neither from within, nor from without, can there be any occaſion of change in him: He it is, whoſe Eſſence and Exiſtence are one and the ſame Thing. His Eſſence, in the very true Notion of it, riſes up into immediate and abſolute Exiſtence: For there is no other Notion of his Eſſence, but in his Exiſtence. It is his very Eſſence or Nature to Be. He is never ſo little, as in a poſſibility to Be; but always ſo great, that it is p. 93impoſſible he ſhould not Be. He is without the allay of a poſſibility to Be, which alſo includes a poſſibility not to Be. He is the higheſt and moſt perpetual Act of Being; Eternal in the very Life of Being. To grant the Nature of God no incompoſſible Notion, is to wrap up a Mans ſelf in the concluſion he is, and that unchangeably: For he is a neceſſary Being, a Being that cannot but Be.

And it is of much conſideration concerning his Being, that there ſhould be ſuch a Lock upon the Mind of Man, that it can no ſooner grant, There may be a God; but it is ſurpriz'd with this, There muſt be a God: for the very Nature of Deity concludes a neceſſity of Being, Abſolute Being.

God is Paramount in theſe Prerogatives of Being; and the Soul cannot be likened to him, from whom it hath its All. But yet a much truer and nobler Immortality have the Spirits and Souls of Men, than Matter and Motion before ſpoken of; ſeeing Spirit is deſign'd, prepar'd for, and in its own Nature, and immediately in it ſelf, of much higher Excellency, Purity, Self-motion, fit for Intelligency, p. 94and all Rational Enjoyment; as much above any Notion of Matter, or appearance of it in any Form, or acted by any Motion, or into any Nature whatever, as Heaven is above Earth.

And beyond this, It is the Nature of Spirits, having their Subſtance, Nature, Motion, all within themſelves, to be always diſtinct, and to have Subſiſtence in themſelves, proper and peculiar to themſelves, and divided from all others: whereas the others, as they are made up in ſuch and ſuch Natures, and out of which they are not found, are continually altering and changing, and paſſing out of one Form into another, and have no other actual Subſiſtence in themſelves, but what they have in theſe ſo continually variated Appearances.

For the whole Stock of Matter and Motion, that is in the World, is made uſe of by God in common; and theſe two are always running every way, into all the ſucceſſive Compoſitions the Creator hath deſign'd them for, and as they are govern'd by him: But all the whole Nature of Spirit, that hath ever been in the Creation, from the p. 95very Beginning, hath without any confuſion, or running one Spirit into another, been preſerv'd in ſtricteſt diſtinction and ſeparation one from another, ſo many proper Subſiſtences, always known to God, underſtood, and taken notice of by him, in this their diſtinctneſs; and ſo are, and ſhall be known to themſelves for ever; and as ſuch, they ſhall be manifeſted and expoſed to the univerſal Aſſembly of themſelves, Angels, and Men, and judg'd according to their Works; becauſe they have been their own, and not anothers with them.

So then, though the Spirits and Souls of Men, even as Matter and Motion, are dependent upon the Pleaſure of the Creator, whether they ſhall continue in Being, or not, if we ſpeak of the thing abſolutely; yet it is very evident, from the conſideration of the whole ſtate of the matter, that Spirits are the moſt proper and natural Inhabitants of Immortality; and howſoever it may pleaſe the Creator to determine upon the other Parts of the Creation, yet there is as great aſſurance as Reaſon can riſe unto, and higher yet from Divine Revelation, p. 96that he intends that our Souls ſhould be for ever; ſeeing he hath made them with Faculties, and Powers of Action, Intellectual, Moral, and immediately reſpecting himſelf; which are ſo connatural to the true ſtate of Immortality, and ſo plain an approach to, and reſemblance of him, who only hath Immortality, that it is almoſt impoſſible to a ſerious Conſiderer to think, that there could be any other deſignation of them by God, but for an immortal duration; ſeeing he hath ſo prepared them for ſuch a Condition, who does nothing in vain, nor does ſo debaſe his own Image, as to draw the Lineaments of it in Duſt. It remains then, That the Soul in the Nature given it by Creation, and in the deſignation of the Almighty, who gave it that Nature, is an Immortal Spirit.

3. From the Character of a Spirits ſelf-communication, it follows; The Soul is an Ʋnderſtanding: For the higheſt degree of Self-communication is Underſtanding. Even in things artificial, when any thing ſeems to communicate with another, and to receive Intelligence from another, and imparts p. 97it again to it, there is a ſemblance of underſtanding; as in the Sympathetique anſwer of one Lute to another: When the Heaven hears the Earth, in the Prophets phraſe, it ſeems to underſtand it. The mutual Returns of one Creature to another, are a kind of Underſtanding in them; or rather that Great Underſtanding of God runs through them all, and is an Underſtanding in their behalf. Life, within the compaſs and ſphere of that Being that hath it, is ſelf-communicated Motion: for all the Parts are in a confederacy one with another, and at an agreement among themſelves, for the motion of the whole Frame, as if they had treated, and ſtill held intelligence one with another: But in Diſeaſes they grow ſtrange to one another; their Language, like that of Babel, is confounded, and in death utterly ſilenc'd. But the higher the Life, ſtill the more appearance of Underſtanding, becauſe there is a higher Self-communication, till we come indeed to the Life of Underſtanding, and ſo up to the higheſt Life and higheſt Underſtanding, which is alſo the higheſt, moſt true, and perfect Self-communication, p. 98that is, the Life and Ʋnderſtanding of God, who hath not onelyonly a Life and Underſtanding within himſelf, but alſo of, and from himſelf; An Eternal Self-communication, or Reflection of himſelf, to, and within himſelf, upon himſelf: And this Infinite Spring of Being, and Self-communication, never ceaſes, nor can ceaſe to communicate himſelf to himſelf, ever knowing, underſtanding himſelf, enjoying, converſing with himſelf, which is Eternity of Life; for he that does thus, can never have been out of Being, nor can ever die: A perpetual Circle of deriving himſelf from himſelf, to himſelf: A pureſt Intellect and Mind, ever beholding, and moſt divinely reſenting it ſelf in unintermitted Knowledge, and underſtanding of it ſelf, and ſo living for ever: For, what underſtands, lives; and what underſtands higheſt, lives higheſt; and what underſtands for ever, lives for ever.

All Creatures of Life, even of higheſt Life, the Life of Underſtanding, have in an abated ſenſe onelyonly Life within themſelves, or a Self-communication, having receiv'd it at firſt, and p. 99receiving it ſtill every moment from God. In Chriſt was Life as in the Johan. 1.Fountain, that is, that high Life of Ʋnderſtanding; and this Life was the Light of Men, that is, the Spring and Original of their Underſtanding.

And this Underſtanding, in reſemblance of God's Life, is the proper Life of the Soul: For the Soul lives by feeling it ſelf in theſe Self-communications, by perceiving its own Cogitations, Conceptions, Comprehenſions, Affections, and whatever elſe are the natural Reſults and Activities of a Rational and Intellectual Life; even as we feel and perceive Natural Life, by the ſeveral Motions and Self-communications of that Life: And this Life, if we ſpeak ſtrictly of it, as it is a Life of Reaſon and Underſtanding, hath no Contrary, it hath no Adverſary to encounter, nor is there any Privation of it conceivable, except by the deſtruction of the Soul it ſelf into nothing.

For this Life is as near to the Soul, as Luſtre and Splendor is to Light; if you take it away, the very Nature it ſelf is loſt; all the Wickedneſs and Miſery in Hell cannot quench it: For p. 100who more knowing, ſagacious, reſtleſs, in all Motions natural to Spirits, than the Devils? That which comes neareſt to the ſtupefying this Life, is being ſunk down into Body; in the lower ſtate of which yet this Life remains, though greatly cover'd and conceal'd; and it cannot be long ſo conceal'd. This Life is therefore, in this regard, plainly a Life immortal; except God himſelf by an immediate hand extinguiſh it; and this cannot be believ'd, ſeeing it is ſo near a reſemblance of his own Life: For, that he ſhould make an Intellectual Life, ſo high in its Nature, to ſo low a purpoſe, is not agreeable with the Wiſdom of all the Works of God.

Now this Underſtanding, as we have ſaid, is Self-communication: For as Reaſoning or Ratiocination is the communicating of Things one with another in a way of compare, a collating of them one with another, and ballancing them together, and then giving the account; and the quicker and more ſudden this motion is made, the more lively is the Ratiocination, and the more excellent is the Underſtanding: So the Principle of this p. 101Ratiocination every moment confers with it ſelf, what it hath attain'd by this courſe of Reaſon, and reciprocates with it ſelf all it hath obſerv'd. God in an infinite manner knows himſelf within himſelf, and all that is, in a moment, by an Omnipreſent Underſtanding: but according to the advantage the Soul hath to work with, as it is in the Body, or in the ſtate of ſeparation from it; ſo the Underſtanding of Man goes a greater or leſſer Circle, for the communicating with Things; but every moment it communicates with it ſelf, what it gathers by its communication with other things. This ſelf-communication both of the Divine and Humane Spirit, the Apoſtle thus expreſſes to us; The Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11.1 Cor 2:101 Cor 2:11ſearches the deep or moſt retired things of God. There is nothing in God reſerv'd, or afar off from himſelf; he eternally communicates his whole ſelf with himſelf: ſo he hath given to Man to underſtand himſelf; The things of a man knows no man, but the ſpirit of a man that is within him; and that knows them. So then a Man hath a power of ſelf-communication, or underſtanding the things p. 102within himſelf: Yet God communicates with Mans Soul nearer than he can with himſelf; that is, he underſtands more of Man, than Man himſelf does; he is greater than our 1 Joh. 3. 20. Pſal. 139. 2.1 John 3:20Ps 139:2hearts, and knows all things; he underſtands our thoughts afar off. The Reaſon is, He is the Fountain of this Life of Underſtanding; In him we intellectually live, and move, and have our being; and he knows in himſelf what is done in us, by the vertue that goes out of him for the doing of it: for he communicates with himſelf, all that he enables his Creatures to do.

From all this then it appears, That to underſtand any thing, is to communicate with it. The Mind communicates with all it underſtands; and the Nature of Underſtanding, is communicating with Things, and ſelf-communication. The Mind communicates with it ſelf all it receives by communication with other Things: The Underſtanding goes out, to underſtand things at a diſtance from it; It communicates with them; It enters into their Natures, as far as it can: Yet it is not in this chiefly an Underſtanding, but that it reflects within it ſelf its p. 103own Obſervations, in that it communicates with it ſelf all the while, it communicates with other things, and feels within it ſelf its own Perceptions, as the Eye perceives its own Receptions. In this it is chiefly an Underſtanding; not like a dead Inſtrument or Trepan, that enters within things, and knows not that it does ſo; that takes hold, without any apprehenſion: or like the Eye of a Beaſt, that looks upon things without Knowledge, and comes no nearer them, than Senſe can do. Things that cannot communicate themſelves within themſelves, cannot underſtand. Underſtanding encreaſes it ſelf by more plentiful and continual Self-communication: Underſtandings encreaſe one another by mutual communication, and grow greater Underſtandings, and as it were into one common Underſtanding. This is the proper Nature, and the Specification of an Underſtanding; and the Soul in its very Eſſence is an Underſtanding.

4. The fourth Conſequence from the Nature of a Spirit, is, That the Happineſs or Miſery of it muſt needs be exceeding great: For ſince ſuch a p. 104Being cannot but have great Capacities for one of theſe States, whichſoever of them it is, it muſt needs be exceeding great, both becauſe it feels it ſelf throughout in either of them, and muſt needs do ſo, in regard of the Reciprocation, Self-communication of all its Powers and Motions; and in regard of the Fineneſs and Purity of its Being, not abated by Groſneſs, Diſtance, and Diſtinction of Parts, but the Whole running into it ſelf: as alſo in regard of the Forcible motion of a Spirit, which carries therefore its Griefs or Pleaſures with the rapidneſs of its own motion, and either bleſſes or torments it ſelf, according to the vehemency of its Nature.

The Spirit or Soul of Man in the Body diſcovers ſomewhat hereof, but in lower degrees, by reaſon of the diſtribution of it ſelf to the ſeveral Parts, Pleaſures, Pains, and various Concernments of Bodily Nature; which while the Soul condeſcends to, and complies with, it ſeems to imitate; ſo that it taſtes generally intermixed Pleaſures onelyonly, and ſuffers but alleviated Griefs, becauſe this agrees moſt with the Condition of Body, that p. 105hath nothing pure: And further, while it is thus intereſted, its own proper Motions and Activities are both damp'd and confin'd: For Body is dull and ſtrait; and if the Soul dwells in it, and acts by it, it muſt proportion it ſelf to it, or elſe it cannot be its Inſtrument.

Yet theſe Properties of the Soul are not altogether imperceptible, even in Bodily ſtate; for as the Soul is conform'd very far to the Body in thoſe Regards, ſo hath the Body its Conformities to the Soul, and thoſe much more neceſſary, ſeeing it is acted and moved by it: For even Bodily Senſe pays this reſemblance to Spiritual, that in every Part it bears Sympathy with what is felt in any one Part: Yet this is, becauſe the Soul enlivening the whole Body, and undertaking for every Part, feels in it ſelf, as in the Center, the ſtate of every Part; though it feels according to the manner, nature, and ſituation of the ſeveral parts of the Body.

In ſome degree of Likeneſs alſo the vigour of the Souls Reſentments are ſeen, in the moſt ſpirituous Pleaſures or acute Pains of Body, that are able p. 106to move Nature high, which fall out onelyonly in a lively Conſtitution, and not taken off, ſo as to chill the Pleaſure, or dull the Pain; becauſe the Soul hath more Active Bodily Powers to ſhew it ſelf by, and wherein it can give greater Teſtimony of its own vivid Motion, though but in concernedneſs for the Body. Thus the Pains of Stone and Gout are much ſharper, becauſe they abate ſo little from the Conſtitution: and the vigours of Health are neceſſary for the receipt of Pleaſure.

But the Soul is much more in things proper to it ſelf All Center, where every one of its proper Pleaſures and Pains meet; that is, Spiritual Joys and Sorrows: and then the livelineſs, perſiſtency of its Nature, carries up to a height all its Enjoyments, or Sufferings. But this is never ſo clear, as in its ſeparated and free eſtate; for then eſpecially, as it is ſaid of Eternity, It is all drawn as it were into every Moment: So whatever can be ſuppos'd in any Point of the Intellectual Nature, if we could ſo diſtinguiſh, in the ſame inſtant runs through all; which is the firſt Height of the p. 107Happineſs or Miſery of a Spirit.

In the next place, the Happineſs or Miſery of a Spirit can be no other than a Happineſs or Miſery of a Spiritual nature, and ſo cannot but be great; for that is the Nature of every thing Spiritual: It is all what it is, and nothing elſe. Every thing but Spirit hath a great deal of cumber, a great deal of Clothes and Habiliments upon it: But Spirit is purely it ſelf; Spiritual Happineſs hath no clog upon it; Spiritual Miſery hath no Sheath upon it, it is all Edge: And when we are entred into the Region of Spirits, there will be no heavineſs of Body, nor diverſions of that in the way. The Bodies of the Reſurrection, when we receive them, will be fitted to the velocity and ſwiftneſs of our Minds, and prepar'd ſo wholly for them, as moſt perfectly to attend their condition.

Object. But becauſe we ſee the Body now ſuch an Obſtruction to all Motions of Soul, it may be doubted, whether there may not be a ſtate of Souls, as inſenſible or more inſenſible than now.

To reſolve this, the Scripture tells us, God makes the Happineſs of his p. 108Saints like a River of higheſt Pleaſure, and the puniſhment of Evil like a ſea of flaming Brimſtone, both to the height; therefore it withal appears, the Faculties are rais'd to the height alſo: Elſe there could be no ſuch Happineſs, nor any ſuch Puniſhment. Inſenſible things enjoy nothing, endure nothing; and the lower the Senſe, the lower of neceſſity is alſo the Enjoyment, and the Pain: There muſt be therefore an exaltation of the Faculties to the higheſt Life, that in the meeting of the Object, and the Faculties, there may be greateſt Satiſfaction or Miſery.

Yet it may be underſtood upon this very account, there may be Glories and Puniſhments of higher and lower degrees, according to the advancement or low eſtate of the Faculties; and that the ſtate of the other World may be proportion'd to this, that he, who by a Soul more enlarg'd in this World, he who by five Talents gain'd Luc. 19. 17, 19. Luc. 12. 47, 48.Luke 19:17Luke 19:19Luke 12:47Luke 12:48ten, or that knew his Maſters will, and yet did it not; theſe being agreeably of higher apprehenſions, and quicker motions in this World, are in the World to come, by the continuing p. 109elevation of thoſe Powers, made Rulers over more Cities, or beaten with more ſtripes: but thoſe of fewer Talents, and meaner Sentiments, keep ſtill their Ranks, being Rulers over fewer Cities, or beaten with fewer ſtripes: Yet in each of theſe, the ſtate of their Souls here, and in Eternity, differs as much in regard of their apprehenſions, and the clearneſs of their Faculties, as Twilight and Noon-day. From this ſtate of things that hath been given, it may be briefly inferr'd in theſe Particulars following.

1. If the Souls of Men, that are an Inferiour Spirit, are ſo active and high in their motion; then how exalted, and infinitely adorable are all the Perfections of that Supreme Spirit, lifted up out of all Height! That Eternal-Fountain-Author-Spirit, how infinitely pure is his Being, without any variation or ſhadow of turning; dwelling in ſuch a Light and Luſtre of his own Divinity, that nothing can ſo much as approach or come within any diſtance of? Although his Spirit runs through All, yet there is an infinite ſeparation of Excellency between God and all things. How clear and bright p. 110is his Underſtanding, before whom Hell is naked, and Deſtruction hath no covering! Darkneſs and Light are all one to him, becauſe Light and Glory are always round about him, and Hell is but the diſpleaſure of his Holineſs againſt Sin, like a Flame that dazles, and ſcorches together: A Fire devours before him, and burns up his Enemies on every ſide.

How potent are his Efficacies, which way ſoever he turns them, for Creation, Conſervation, or the Change of Things, as he pleaſes! What is his Favour, or Diſpleaſure, but the higheſt Efficacies of Kindneſs, or Severity; of Joy unſpeakable and full of Glory, or of weeping and wailing, without all eaſe or remedy! How do all Spirits Good and Holy, caſt their Crowns before him, and laud him with eternal Acknowledgments of both their Being and Happineſs, to his Grace and Goodneſs, and Acclamations to his Praiſe! And that Stream from himſelf, that feeds with Being and Spirituality thoſe ſo unhappy and wretched Spirits, depoſed from their Glory and Perfection, neceſſitates them to ſurvive the Inſtances of his Juſtice and p. 111Holineſs, to the admiration and everlaſting wonderment of the Bleſſed, (yet with profoundeſt Reverence of unſtain'd Holineſs) and their own aſtoniſhment and horror without end.

2. If the Soul is a Being ſo excellent, how foul is Sin, that defiles it; like a Poyſon, that preſently darkens a Diamond, or infects the very Beams of the Sun, or ſoils the Light? We ſhould ever reſiſt Temptations to ſin, with the ſad conſideration of defiling ſo excellent and immortal a Spirit.

3. It ſhews how excellent the Price muſt be that redeems ſuch a Spirit. Great is the Redemption of the Soul by Chriſt, the Renovation of the Soul by the Holy Spirit.

4. We ſhould conſider this Spirit, that though now it is enclos'd in the Body, yet ſeeing it is prepar'd to much higher and more excellent motion, it muſt burſt out; it cannot be always held; it muſt have a freedom, that it may expatiate it ſelf: Elſe ſo great Powers, having ſo little Action now, muſt have been prepar'd in vain.

5. We ſhould meditate much upon this great Character of a Spirit: It cannot die; It is ſo it-ſelf, that it cannot p. 112die: Its very Being is Intellect, Life, and Motion; ſo that it cannot ceaſe to live, except it ceaſe to be: God, who alone hath power over it, hath deſign'd it to be for ever, and fram'd it for perpetuity, and ſo, that it can have no Adverſary of its Life or Being: It is ſo ſeparate from all things elſe, that nothing of Body can come near its Eſſence or Life. What Sword or Fire can cut off or conſume Thought, much leſs the Soul, the Original or Spring of it? What moſt ſubtle thing in Nature can deſtroy the Affection of Love or Fear, much leſs ſo attaque the Judgment or Reaſon, as forcibly to ſuppreſs them? They can kill the Body; but they have no more that they can do.

No created Spirit, how principal ſoever, can come near the Being of the loweſt orbed Soul, thus to touch it: Sathan the great Enemy of Spirits knows this ſo hopeleſs an attempt, as never once to plot it: All his intendments againſt Humane Spirits, are onelyonly to ſway them to Evil, and ſo precipitate them into Miſery; but yet they cannot be maſter'd by the higheſt Archangel, ſo much as in the Government p. 113of themſelves, except they ſurrender and betray their own Abſoluteneſs.

One Spirit may imprint Thought upon another, offer Argument, endeavour to induce Affection; but the Soul is at its own choice for acceptation; and whether it accept, or not, its Being is ſtill the ſame, its Power of Self-reſervation the ſame; ſo double-guarded is the Soul in this great Privilege of being It ſelf: Guarded in its Eſſence or Life, guarded in its Liberty and Freedom; which argues it a Being of greateſt account. Now in that it muſt always live, Holineſs and Happineſs, the enjoyment, pleaſure, and perfection of its Life, are with greateſt earneſtneſs, and upon greateſt neceſſity to be ſought; Sin and Miſery, ſuch a degradation of its Life, that the Scripture calls them Death, are by all means to be avoided and eſcaped from: And ſeeing it hath a Secret of its own Freedom, that no Spiritual Principality or Power can enter into or invade, it can onelyonly charge its Ruine upon it ſelf: But in the Supreme Spirit, God himſelf is all its ſtrength, who perpetuates his firſt p. 114Inſpiration, maintains its Immunities, guides its Motions aright when it had loſt it ſelf, redeems it from that great Enemy-Spirit by his Son, the Lover and great Friend of Souls; governs it by his own Holy and Good Spirit, and is the Happineſs and Glory of it for ever. Oh the care that is due to ſuch a Soul as this! A care due from it ſelf to it ſelf, yet miſerably neglected by it ſelf, in its true ſelf, for it ſelf, as engag'd in a Body, out of which it is yet always haſting, and leaves it in death; it ſelf being in greateſt danger of a death exceedingly worſe, though of another nature; in the bringing about of which, the malice of Hell is always buſie and employ'd, chuſing that as a much higher effect of its ſpite and cruelty, than Annihilation, if it had been within the Power of Devils to turn a Soul into nothing.

6. Laſtly, What unſpeakable Sentiments of Happineſs or Miſery doth a ſelf-moving, a ſelf-communicating Spirit enter into, when it enters into its own place! For there it meets thoſe immenſe Objects, God, his Favour or Diſpleaſure, the true appearances p. 115of Sin and Holineſs, the General Aſſembly of Spirits, happy and miſerable, with their univerſal and endleſs Condition: It ſelf appearing to it ſelf in its full extent of Nature, Duration, and Relation to all theſe. Now its ſelf-motion and ſelf-communication (which are its very Being, and therefore perfect in its own native Element) are active to the higheſt. Self-motion turns it every way, with unutterable ſwiftneſs, upon theſe Objects; and Self-communication makes all its own, converts unintermittingly all its Obſervations upon them, into moſt beatifying or afflictive Reſentments, according to the Order it ſtands in to thoſe Objects of Happineſs or Miſery.

Two principal Accounts of the Soul of Man are now diſpatch'd; the firſt, of Inviſible Beings; the ſecond, of the Nature of a Spirit; in which I laid down for a Ground, That the Right apprehenſion of the Divine Nature and Being, is the Key of the Knowledge of Mans Soul. As therefore I endeavour'd to explain thoſe two Points by it, ſo I come now more fully to purſue the Reſemblance the Soul p. 116of Man hath with God, and in this next place to ſpeak of it in the Potency, Force, and Excellency of its Being and Faculties; firſt taking occaſion to make this induſtrious Reflexion upon the Souls likeneſs to God.

It is an uſual Obſervation, That every Creature reſembles God in that very regard that it hath a Being, however obſcure it be; and the more any Creature advances in Being, the clearer the Repreſentation of God, till the Scale of Creatures leads us up to thoſe that God hath exalted into the neareſt likeneſs to himſelf that Created Natures are capable of; and theſe are Rational Spirits, Angels, and Souls of Men; of which, Angels are a higher Order, and at greater Freedom, being out of Bodies; and the Souls of Men a lower Order, being under the diſadvantage of Bodies; yet in themſelves like to God, and like to Angels.

Now it is the Privilege of Spirits to behold in the whole Creation, eſpecially in their own Natures, the great Perfections of God ſurmounting themſelves (and much more the reſt of the Creatures) as Infinite doth Finite; p. 117that ſo God may be underſtood, and accordingly ador'd by them; ſeeing Spirits in his own Image of Underſtanding and Likeneſs can alone ſo far know him, as in a true and proper ſenſe to adore him: and the Glory of God in ſuch an Adoration being the end of Creation, it argues the neceſſity of ſuch Creatures, and ſo accompliſh'd, thus to give him his Glory.

As therefore, by reviews of the Creatures in general, and particularly of our own Minds, and by Obſervations of what excells amongſt all, it is poſſible without Scripture, though more darkly, to find out the Perfections that are to be aſcrib'd infinitely to God; and when we come to Scripture, and find that agreeing with (though exceeding) Natural Knowledge, in its Attributions to God, we have by this combination of Scripture and Reaſon, Revealed and Natural Knowledge, (the praeeminence being eaſily yielded to Revealed) the moſt ſatisfying Aſſurances of God we can have.

On the other ſide, by conſidering the Excellencies and Perfections attributed to God in his Word, and finding p. 118the ſame Lines drawn upon our own Minds, obſervable both in the Diſcourſes of Scripture concerning them, and in our own experience (though but according to the degree and model of Creatures) we underſtand our own Souls more fully; ſo that, as the conſideration of our ſelves & the Creatures, leads us without Revelation to underſtand God, though not ſo clearly; ſo theſe Oracles revealing God, and all his Attributes more certainly and evidently to us, reveal alſo our ſelves more plainly, becauſe they tell us, we are made in his Image and Likeneſs; and ſo by knowing God with greateſt clearneſs, we know our ſelves alſo moſt clearly: for the Knowledge of our ſelves (as to what concerns the clearneſs of it) depends upon our Knowledge of God by the Scriptures, more than our Knowledge of God depends upon the Knowledge of our ſelves by Natural Knowledge, without Scripture: Yet ſtill the Knowledge of our own Souls, where Men have no Revelation, leads them beſt to the Knowledge of God; as the Knowledge of God by Revelation, leads us beſt to the Knowledge p. 119of our own Souls; becauſe God and the Soul do mutually repreſent one another: God, the Original Prototype, and Infinite Exemplar; Man's Soul, the humble Repreſentation and Copy: Upon which Reaſon the Apoſtle having ſaid, We are his off-ſpring, Acts 17. 28, 29.Acts 17:28Acts 17:29immediately argues, Foraſmuch as we are the off-ſpring of God, we ought not to think the Godhead like to ſilver and gold. Our own Nature deriving from God, inſtructs us better concerning him: for ſeeing we our ſelves far excel all thoſe things, however heightned by Art, he that gave us thoſe Excellencies, muſt needs have them in himſelf, and in a tranſcendency; As he that built the houſe, hath more honour than the houſe, and the Life excels the Picture: So, on the other ſide, the Excellencies and Perfections of the Divine Being are every where given us in Scripture as the Rule of Compoſure for Man's Soul; which could not be reaſonable, were not the being of it firſt given in the Image and Likeneſs of God, and ſuſceptive of the Divine Nature, that is, of the Virtues of it.

Touching the Souls Likeneſs to p. 120Angels, we need not labour much, but rather in comparing them with God the Original of both, and occaſionally onelyonly illuſtrate the Doctrine of the Soul, by obſervation of what we are taught in inſpir'd Leaves concerning them, though Philoſophy hath not been altogether ignorant herein. In general, they are of a middle ſtate between God and us; nearer to God, in that they are a higher Rank of Spirits, diſengag'd from Body; much nearer to us, in that they are Finite Spirits, and God infinitely above them.

In ſpeaking then of the Likeneſs of Man's Soul to God, we muſt again have recourſe to his Creation, and when God had ſaid, Let us make Man in our own Likeneſs and Image, and form'd the Body, as a curious Statuary doth a moſt exact Statue, he then breath'd into it the Breath of Life. Now this Breathing of God argues, he gave a great ſemblance of himſelf, and that God deriv'd ſomething from himſelf to Man's Soul, that ſhould more immediately expreſs himſelf, and was taken from himſelf as the Life. Thus our Saviour breath'd upon his p. 121Apoſtles, and made them Partakers of a Spirit that had a great Likeneſs to his own, in the Infallibility and Heavenlineſs of his Doctrine, the Power of working Miracles, the Holineſs of their Miniſtry, and whole Apoſtolick Function. God breathing Mans Soul, it became ſo like him, that ſome have call'd it, A Particle of the Divinity, a Kiſs of God, an Imprint of himſelf.

Now this Likeneſs of Man's Soul to God, I believe not to be firſt in thoſe moral Reſemblances of the Truth, Holineſs, and Goodneſs of God, which ſpeak God the beſt, and in which to be like God, is Mans Rectitude and Integrity, and the Foundation of his Happineſs as a Rational Agent, nor onelyonly in the Intellectual Faculties; but alſo in thoſe Attributes which ſpeak God the Greateſt, though theſe be in this preſent ſtate of Man much obſcured, even as the other.

Of the Soul of Man, an Inviſible Spirit, hath been already diſcours'd: Of other the Greatneſſes of God giving a glance, an eye of themſelves upon Mans Soul, we may alſo apprehend;

There is a Reſemblance of his Infiniteneſs p. 122and Ubiquity of Preſence, in that ſwift and ſudden Motion of Mans Soul from Eaſt to Weſt, ſummoning things of fartheſt diſtance into its preſence by Thought and Intellectual Conſideration; the Intelligence he endeavours to hold with all the Action and Buſineſs of the World, both Natural, Civil, and Moral; the Correſpondency he hath with Things Divine and Heavenly. The Freedom and Liberty of the Increated Will is reflected in ſome degree in the Liberty of Mans Will, that can be no way forc'd or compell'd; in the vaſtneſs of his Appetite and Deſire, which though now irregular, yet ſpeaks the Original Greatneſs of his Soul, and that Joy unſpeakable he was intended for: The Dominion of God, in Mans Dominion over the Creatures, and the vaſt and reſtleſs Ambition and Deſire of Power and Empire ſo natural to him: The Eternity of God, in the Immortality, and at laſt Unchangeableneſs given to Mans Soul: The Divine Bleſſedneſs, in the Luſtre and Glory Man affects, the Well-being he ſo inſeparably from his Nature deſires, the Happineſs he is capable of, to p. 123which he was deſign'd, and to which he is exalted by the Salvation of Chriſt. From hence there is ſomething like Creation, in the great Works that have been done by Men; and ſomething in Humane Contrivances and Adminiſtrations, like Providence.

And that there is a Force and Potency of Mans Spirit, in a proportion reſembling that Power of God that brings Things to paſs in Matter, or like the force of Angels, that have wrought upon Matter beyond all the Activity that Matter can be ſet into by any Material Agency, is not without probability, from the more than ordinary vigorous Action and great Strength of ſome Men, as Samſon, and ſome others of unuſual Force: For I am much inclin'd, under the Divine Efficacy concurring, to aſcribe ſuch Might to the Soul, either acting it ſelf by extraordinary Organs and Inſtruments of Body prepar'd and fitted for that Might, as in Gyants, and ſuch like; or that God may have made uſe of ſome Good Men, in a degree like the Angels, letting out the Powers of their Souls through their Bodies p. 124into Actions, above the generality of Mankind; to which I am very ſubject to attribute thoſe Famous Acts recorded by the Apoſtle, Hebr. 11. 33, 34. They ſubdued Kingdoms, ſtopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of Fire, eſcaped the edge of the ſword, out of weakneſs were made ſtrong, waxed valiant in Fight, put to flight the Armies of the Aliens: For, though theſe are miraculous, compar'd with the ordinary State of Mankind, yet they may be natural to the unconfined State of the Soul, in its Efficacies upon Matter; even as working Righteouſneſs, obtaining Promiſes, not accepting deliverance, that they might be partakers of a better Reſurrection, require as ſupernatural an aſſiſtance of Mind, in this degeneracy of Mankind, and do as much exceed the Poſſibilities of the Soul, ſo ſunk and degraded, as the other do the Powers of a Spirit ſhut up in Fleſh, and in this State of Humiliation: And yet certainly all Acts of Goodneſs and Obedience to God, are connatural to the true and unfallen Condition of Mankind.

Now what the Skill and Force of p. 125a Spirit not reſtrain'd and confin'd to work by juſt ſuch Inſtruments of Body, is in moving Matter with greateſt advantage, and moſt ſucceſsful operation, is to us hard to be defin'd; for the Motion and Activity of it is Intellectual, and (as we ordinarily conceive) that alone is a feeble thing; yet when we come to obſerve what is attributed to Divine Underſtanding, That by Wiſdom the Lord Prov. 3. 19.Prov 3:19founded the Earth, and by Ʋnderſtanding he eſtabliſhed and garniſhed the Heavens; and that he onelyonly declared by his Word the Pleaſure and Determination of his Underſtanding, in the creating every thing, we may be very ready to conceive Infinite Underſtanding is Infinite Power; and when Wiſdom ſays, I am Ʋnderſtanding, Prov. 8. 14.Prov 8:14I have Strength, it gives us the Notion of Infinite Underſtanding, as Infinite Strength: and if we conſider, Wiſdom and Power are one in God, it ſtill heightens the apprehenſion: and further, if we underſtand, with many Divines, the Son of God to be this Wiſdom, the Notion is yet rais'd higher, and we underſtand the more by it the Omnipotency of Wiſdom. p. 126Creation then is the very Effect of Infinite Underſtanding; and as all Conceptions, Arguments, Reaſons of Diſcourſe, are the unqueſtionable Creatures of our Underſtanding; ſo all things that are in the World are the Effects of Infinite Underſtanding: the World is the Creature of Divine Underſtanding. His very conceiving things, with a pleaſure they ſhould be, gave them Being; He ſpake the word, Pſal. 33. 9.Ps 33:9and it was done; he commanded, and it ſtood faſt: He called to the Heavens, and they ſtood up together: There was no other Power us'd by God, that we read of. Thus Men of great Authority ſit ſtill, and ſpeak things into their Execution. As for the mighty Acts of Angels recorded in Scripture, they are veiled as to the manner of their being brought to paſs, and the Efficiency that did produce them; onelyonly we read in that Emblem of the Prophet Ezekiel, wherein all Worldly things are preſented as governed by God, and adminiſtred by Angels, that the various Rotations and Changes in this World, ſhadowed by Wheels, are full of Eyes, that is, of the Wiſdom of God, the Supreme Moderator p. 127of them, and that they are mov'd on by the Motion of Angels: For the Spirit of the Living Creatures Ezek. 1. 18, 20.Ezek 1:18Ezek 1:20(by which Angels are expreſs'd) was in the Wheels; and when theſe went, the Wheels went; and when theſe ſtood ſtill, the Wheels ſtood ſtill; This Spirit of the Living Creatures managed all: So that it looks to us, as if the Angels did all by their Spirit or Eſſence, and that we know is Intellectual: Eyes in the Wheels, and the Spirit in the Wheels, turn'd all about. The Angels are Underſtandings inferiour to God onelyonly, and their Efficacy is repreſented to us by Lightning, or the moſt vehement Flame of Fire. When we come down to Man, we find the Creatures in great ſubjection to Adam; and there is reaſon Geneſ. 2. 20.Gen 2:20to think, it was to his Underſtanding they paid their Homage: For as an Introduction to his Rule over them, they were brought to him by God, to receive their Names from him; and according to his inſight into their Natures, he called them all by their Names, and ſo entred into his Dominion over them, by underſtanding them, and declaring his underſtanding p. 128of them. This was the ſolemn Act of his Inauguration into his Intellectual Government. Even as God, who governeth the Stars by his Infinite Underſtanding, telleth the number Pſal. 147. 4.Ps 147:4of the Stars, and calleth them all by their names; thus the known Wiſdom of Men of great Underſtanding commands the Regard and Obedience of thoſe whom they have impos'd Names of Office and Service upon.

In the generality of Mankind, let us conſider how immediately any, or all the Members of the Body move, upon the moſt ſilent intimations of the Underſtanding, and follow its guidance, twining every way, even into the greateſt Curioſities of Art; ſtretching themſelves to the moſt induſtrious and laborious Employments, adventuring themſelves upon the greateſt Hazards. We ſee, that indeed all things that are done by Men in the World, begin at the Counſel, Deſign, and Intendments of Underſtanding; and that the Contrivance of one Mans Underſtanding, dictating to the Underſtandings of thoſe that are under, hath been the Spring, and given production to the mightieſt Effects, p. 129the wiſeſt Polities, the moſt excellent Laws, huge Volumes, the greateſt Atchievements of Armies, the moſt magnificent Buildings, Eſtabliſhments of Empire, the moſt memorable Projects and Works of Art, the Force of ſtrange Engines, or whatever is accounted of Grandeur in the World: The Force of Underſtanding hath been given and conveyed from Hand to Hand, inſinuated into Matter, and ſo paſs'd from one Piece and Part of it to another, till it hath reach'd unto, and reſted in the Effect. All this put together, may be an Eſſay concerning the Power of Underſtanding.

Now what ways Underſtanding hath to move Matter, immediately by it ſelf, we are no competent Judges, that have indeed Underſtandings, but generally ſo reſtrain'd and impriſon'd, that they can find the way of doing little, in compariſon of what may be done by that uncontrovertible way of accompliſhing Effects by the mediatory Services of Matter: OnelyOnly this we know, When there was neither Matter to work upon, nor work with, Infinite Underſtanding p. 130brought forth Matter, and ſtirr'd it as he pleas'd. And though there is no compariſon between Underſtanding Finite, and Infinite; yet by this it appears, there is no contradiction for Underſtanding to produce Matter, when there was none; nor to move it, when it is. We know too, there muſt be ſome way, by which our Souls, though acknowledged to be Spirits, move our Bodies, known enough to be groſs and material, and that meerly by Thought and Conſideration what is to be done; and that they obey them ſpeedily, and with eaſe: although we are not able to expedite all the Queſtions that may be mov'd in relation hereunto.

In the ſum, I think it not to be doubted, but that many of the extraordinary and wonderful Atchievements of Men, the even prodigious Valours and mighty Prevalencies of ſome Warriours, that have in heat of Fight mov'd like Lightning, have been the true and proper Effects and Sallies out of a Soul, through the Freedoms given by God to ſuch Perſons, for the bringing about thoſe Changes he hath reſolv'd upon, by p. 131their Victoriouſneſs and Conqueſts. And, to conclude, in all thoſe things that have been done by Men, not plainly miraculous, nor exceeding the Power of Created Spirits, I know no reaſon why the Wonder ſhould be plac'd any where elſe, but upon that admirable Freedom ſuch Souls, by eſpecial Grant from God, have had to work like themſelves, and ſo to exceed the ordinary Operations of Men. And though this doth not equal their preſent State to, nor bring up their Services to the Services of Angels, that Order of Creatures God in his Wiſdom hath appointed for the greater and more remarkable Expeditions and Actions in the World, as being always ready, and, as we ſay, in procinctu, excelling in prepared and unincumbred ſtrength, always upon the guard, and hearkning to the voice of his word: yet in that ſuch great and mighty Works do ſhew forth themſelves in the Soul, and there have been ſo great and wonderful Perſons in all Ages, of Famous Memory in their ſeveral kinds and vertues, in whom the Greatneſs of this Soul hath broken forth; it is a marvellous Inſtance, that p. 132the Soul of Man is a Great, Potent, and Excellent Spirit, of vaſt Activities in its own Nature; and that it hath a near reſemblance of God, and Alliance to Angels: that however it be for a little time made lower than Angels, yet it ſhall be brought into a Condition wherein it ſhall be foreign, equal to Angels.

For though I make no doubt ſome Men have greater Souls than others, as one Star differs from another in Magnitude, and as Bodies differ in Strength, Beauty, and Proportion; yet there is the main Excellency of a Humane Body, wherein all agree: So it is in the Souls of Men; the Soul of one Man is a Meaſure, and carries the Pourtraicture of the Souls of Men in their Univerſal Nature; even as Face anſwers Face in the water, ſo the Soul of one Man returns the Soul of another Man.

Againſt all this it lies as a great Objection, That the greateſt Effects of a Soul we can obſerve, are not great and high enough for ſuch a Being as I have deſcrib'd Mans Soul to be; and the great Effects we do ſee, are found onelyonly in ſome leſſer numbers p. 133of Men. Let us then inquire into theſe two things; Why the Effects are not greater, wherein Souls diſplay themſelves? and, Why we ſee them not more generally and univerſally among Men?

For the firſt, it is to be conſidered, The Soul in the Body is like an Artificer, that works by a very dull and unapt Inſtrument, though himſelf of excellent Skill; like a valiant Warriour with a Sword of Lead, or as Samſon, if confin'd to the general Laws of Humane Nature, he had fought with the Jaw-bone of an Aſs onelyonly; or like the Eye, though never ſo quick, looking through a dull Glaſs, or in a Dark Room; or like a ſtrong and valorous Man in a Cage, or cloſe Dungeon; or like a Light in a Dark Lantern; or like a ſtrong Man aſleep: All this is the State of the Soul in the Body; or like a Prince of Juſt Authority, in Captivity; or like a Jewel clos'd up in Clay; or a Beauty ſhrouded under a courſe Covering.

To judge of the Soul now, and according to ſuch Rules as it acts by in the Body, that it ſhall never be p. 134greater and more active than it appears, is to conclude the Soul of a Child ſhall never ſhew it ſelf greater and more active than it appears while the Child is in Swadling Clothes: Or, as if the Infant in the Cloyſter of the Womb, could make a Judgment of it ſelf, and think it ſelf in as good a condition, or better, than it ſhould be in the open Air; and that what it is there, it muſt be always. The Soul ſees now through a glaſs darkly, and is in the condition of a Child, and of a Child ſhut up in the Womb.

That the Body is now a great hinderance to the Soul, is apparent by the neceſſity that the Soul muſt be ſeparated from it, and that it muſt be diſſolv'd into Duſt, or changed; and that in the Reſurrection, our Bodies muſt be Spiritual Bodies, fit to caſt the Glories and diſplay the Excellencies of a Soul, to diſcharge the Activities of the higheſt Elevation of a Spirit. But to return to the preſent State of the Soul in the Body, why it is order'd thus? that the Body ſhould be ſuch an Inſtrument out of Tune, to the Soul, ſuch an excellent Harmoniſt; ſuch a Dungeon to the Mind, Princely p. 135in its Creation. We may give it thus.

In the very firſt and moſt innocent ſtate, the Soul was ſo framed by God, that though the Powers of it were much larger than Body, and independent upon it, yet that they ſhould for a certain ſeaſon be reſtrain'd to the Body, to govern, take care of, and act it according to its Nature and Meaſures, according to its Preparations to run along under the Powers of the Soul, in their Motion, and not be deſtroy'd by the over-vehemency.

This Body the Soul was able and fit to act to the utmoſt of its Capacities, and far beyond them; and yet it was ſo moderated, as not to overact them: but it could not raiſe this Body, or the Matter of it, above its Natural Excellency: That was reſerv'd in the Creators Power alone, as a Reward of the Souls Obedience in that Body for the preſent time allotted to it.

The Soul could not make the Body what it would have it be, or fit it to all it would have it do, when it found it ſhort: It could not enable body to all things a Soul had Power p. 136for, or a deſire to: For it was but a Living Soul, and not a Quickning 1 Cor. 15. 45.1 Cor 15:45Spirit; that is, It had a Life given it by God, and ſuch a Life, that it ſhould be always a Living Soul, that it ſhould never decay, and fall down into a Dead Thing; and ſo it could retain its own Life, againſt any one but the Author of it, and loſe none of that; for this power it had received from God; and what it found fitted by God to its Activity, and convenienc'd to its Life, it could act, quicken, and manage: But it was not a Quickning Spirit; that is, It had not power to make or give a new Life, to continue a Body in Life, or to raiſe a Dead Body, or make it more Excellent or Lively than it found it prepared by God: It had not a Power like the Firſt-begotten from the Dead, who can make corruptible put on Incorruption, and mortal put on Immortality, and be even ſwallowed up of Life; who can change our vile Bodies, that they may be made like his glorious Body, by a Power that ſubdues all things to it ſelf. So then, though the Soul could work to the utmoſt extent of Matter and Body, p. 137and fill all Bodily Capacities, yet it could not exceed them, nor act according to it ſelf, becauſe it was confin'd in Body; but muſt work and act onelyonly as the Soul of ſuch a Body: nor could it quicken and advance Body, as it would it ſelf, nor better it above its Rank and Order ſet by the Creator; and therefore the Soul could diſplay it ſelf, and its own Spirituality, onelyonly ſo far as Body, made by God, the Body of this Soul, could receive and convey into Action.

And though this was enough, not onelyonly to prefer Man to the top of this Lower Creation, and to make him under the Creator Lord of All; but to aſſure enough, a greater than Body, even a Spirit was there: yet it could not diſcover, how great and potent this Spirit was.

Thus the Soul was ſubmitted by the wiſe Ordination of God, to retire, keep home, and dwell in a Body, being at the very firſt ſet in an Orb lower than it ſelf, and to manage fewer and leſſer Talents, according to the State of the Lower Creation; and ſo by its Obedience, Fidelity, and p. 138Improvement, to be advanc'd to richer and more Talents, and to a Rule over greateſt Cities; that is, to be exalted to the Heights and full Glory of a perfecteſt Immortality.

Thus was the State of Innocency, wherein Body was much more fitted to the Excellency of the Soul, though not to all its Excellency; fitted to it onelyonly according to the Lower State of Man in this World, not according to that Supreme State of Immortality; but differing as much from that, as Poſſibility not to die, doth from an Impoſſibility to die; or as a Body Natural, juſt fit to entertain a Soul in a temporary condition, and to yield it ſelf to its diſplays in a degree convenient to that, differs from a Body Spiritual, fram'd to bear and diſcharge all the higheſt Spiritualities of a Soul, in its unchangeable Eſtate.

Yet this was much above the preſent Condition of Body under Sin; even as Innocency, and the Order, Beauty, and Goodneſs wherein Man was firſt enſtated by God, excell the Guilt, unnatural Deformity, and Confuſion he labours under now: Since Sin and Diſobedience, the Souls manner p. 139of Habitation in Body, is fallen much lower; and it is carefully to be conſider'd, how it fell lower: for it cannot be conceived, that any thing ſhould be abated from the Life, Vigour, and Force of the Soul it ſelf: The Soul loſes onelyonly in the Holy and Happy State of it, without any diminution in its Eſence, or Eſſential Life; for it cannot loſe in the degrees of thoſe: It muſt loſe in the whole, or not at all; being one, whole, intire, indiviſible Self, as hath been before aſſerted: And thus it is onelyonly a competent Subject for the Happineſs or Miſery of Eternity, of which Fallen Angels are a plain Inſtance, who, notwithſtanding their Fall, continue Principalities, and Powers, and Dominions; and though Wickedneſſes, yet Spiritual Wickedneſſes, and in High Places. The Soul then loſing nothing thus, the Life, Vigour, and Vertue of its Nature muſt lie cloſe, accumulated and folded up, where there is not room for an Explanation and free Expatiation; as Light, that could reach much further, when ſtopp'd by any Dark Body, is reverberated into it ſelf.

p. 140We muſt therefore conceive, that, as a Puniſhment upon the Sin of Man, there is a great withdrawing of Divine Bleſſing from the Lower Creation; upon which enſues an interruption of the benign Order of Things one towards another, ſo that they are continually at feud, and in conteſt one with another, hindering, diſturbing, and mutually abating the Force, and working to the deſtruction one of another: to all which Inconveniences the Humane Body becomes ſubject, and both in regard of its Temper and Compoſition, more ſubject than many other parts of Matter; for its Strength is not the Strength of Stones, nor its Fleſh of Braſs, nor clear and pure like the Heavens, that abide of old. Further, It being the Body of that Soul, that is the great Offender, it is moſt liable to the Curſe: The Soul then, whoſe Body was at firſt too narrow for all its Efficacies, is now limited to one, unequal to any one of them, and very diſturbing of their Execution.

For ſometimes, by the oppreſſion of other Parts of Matter upon this Body, all the livelier and brisker Particles p. 141of it are ſqueez'd out and exhaled, whereby it becomes dull and inſtagnated; ſometimes it is overheated into furious and inordinate motion, and ſo weakned and diſordered in its great end of ſerving the Soul.

The Soul on the other ſide loſing nothing of it ſelf, yet being ſunk down from the Intellectual Spiritual Life, and from the Happineſs therein to be found, which is its true Sphere, becomes alſo negligent of acting and invigorating the Body, and guiding the Service of it to ſuch worthy Ends; and with a wilful ſupineneſs falls down into the Animal Life, and preſently finding what State and Temper that Body with which it is joyn'd is of, carries it ſelf, with all its Powers, almoſt wholly thither.

If it be a duller Matter or Body, it ſtays its own Effluxes, the Stream of its Motion, and taſtes its Life and Enjoyment in that ſloathfulneſs and ſluggiſhneſs of Fleſh, as it were forgetting it hath any greater Virtue, Force, or other Office, than what ſerves to the maintenance of ſo low a Life; that the Soul wilfully enervates, and deadens its own Activity, p. 142by ſlumbring it in the drowſineſs of a lazie Body; ſo that this Sloath becomes the greateſt of all Sloath, becauſe of the Pleaſure this mighty Spirit hath in that Sloath, having found it to be the Temper of that Matter wherein it hath ſheath'd it ſelf; there being in this very Sloath, as Philoſophers teach of Reſt of Bodies, as forcible and great a Cauſe, as there is of Motion. Thus the great Force of a Soul is defeated this way, the Body being like damp'd Powder, that will not take the Fire, and ſo the Fire lies ſtill and does nothing: to ſuch Solomon cries out, Yet a little ſleep, a little ſlumber, a little folding of the hands to ſleep; the deſcription of an endleſs and incurable Sloath, Prov. 24. 33. If the Body be a Compoſure more lively and ſpirituous, and apt to overheat, the Soul preſently finds this, and committing it ſelf to the Inclinations of Body, ſuch Propenſions are promoted and inraged, according to the mighty Force of a Soul, into the Exceſſes of Luſt, Rage, and all Intemperance, beyond the very Bruitiſh Nature, that hath no ſuch Spirit to act it: and thus alſo the Might of p. 143the Soul is loſt, as the Force of the Fire with the Powder in a crack'd or foul Gun, that is ſcatter'd, and recoils with miſchief; or as an over-meaſure of Powder, taking fire without direction; the Effect of which is the ſlaughter and deſtruction of all about it. So that every way nothing is atchieved worthy the Greatneſs of this Spirit.

Thus the Soul is doubly diſabled by Matter, wherein it is ſet; both becauſe that Matter is ſubject to ſo many diſorders, that can no way be perfectly cured, and ſo it is unfit for the Souls uſe; and alſo, becauſe the Soul crowds up its own Activities into a contentment with what it finds moſt natural and ready in that Matter with which it is joyned, complies with it, and troubles it ſelf no further to amend it: and the longer things continue ſo, the more ſtiff and unreformable the Evil grows. All which put together, is a plain Reaſon, why there are no greater Effects of a Soul in the World, and how it comes to paſs, that the multitude of People in it give no other evidence of a Soul, but in a proviſion of Natural Life, and p. 144the Senſualities of Life, ſomewhat above the Rank of Beaſts.

Now upon the utmoſt ſtretch of this Reaſon, there would be no Examples of greater Vertue or Heroickneſs among Men: But becauſe this State both of the Body and the Soul is below the Graciouſneſs of the firſt Creation, and that there are moſt merciful Relaxations of the Puniſhment due to the Sin of Man, and many Advantages for the betterment of both Soul and Body, vouchſafed by God through Chriſt the Mediator, whoſe Benefits extend to them that do not know him; hence it is, that the State of Mankind excells it ſelf in many great Inſtances.

For the Soul retaining its primitive Vigour and Life, which are its very Nature and Being; and Body being capable of Refinement to better uſe, by the care of the Soul in the Sublimation of it; even as Art poliſhes the Rude Matter, directs it into the uſefulneſs of any Inſtrument; as Chymiſtry purifies and exalts it; as the Skill of the Apothecary corrects, and makes it medicinable: ſo the Soul deſigning to mend the Body, ſets the p. 145Characters of Wiſdom, Virtue, and good Ingeny upon it, formes it to a graceful Mine and Deportment, turns and twiſts the Motions of it to the Curioſities of Artifice, chaſtiſes and reforms it to the Precepts of Virtue, and ſubdues it to the Induſtry of Study and Contemplation, hardens it to the fearleſs and reſolv'd Actions of War, quickens it to Service in greateſt Works and Undertakings, with whatever elſe we ſee in the World worthy of conſideration to this purpoſe, being the Inſpiration of Mind, and the Performance of Body commanded by it.

Now that which under ſuch Preſſures excites the Souls of Men to theſe Aſpirings, muſt chiefly be acknowledged to Divine Impreſſions, awakening ſome Mens Spirits to the exerciſe of their richer and worthier Faculties; of which Scripture gives abundant Teſtimony in all kinds: And under this, they may be aſcrib'd to the different Magnitudes of Souls, or the more advantageous Bodies Providence hath contriv'd for ſome, rather than for others; and then to the Inſtruction and Examples that fall p. 146from ſuch Perſons, as Influences from the Heavenly Bodies, and have their Effects upon many, not onelyonly of one Age or Country, but of far diſtant Places, and ſucceeding Times; ſo that there have been ſtill ſpringing up great and incomparable Perſons, Mirrours of the Greatneſs and Potency of a Humane Spirit, and their Actions as Monuments of it; and under them, multitudes of others, though not of ſo high a degree, yet endeavouring to raiſe themſelves ſomewhat towards the Excellencies of Humane Nature.

But why upon theſe ſo fair Advantages the Excellency of Mans Soul is not more generally retrived, may receive this farther Reſolution.

As the Soul working by Body, muſt have a well fitted and prepared Body to work immediately by; ſo it's further neceſſary to its Operations by Body, that there be a conveniency and an accommodation of ſeveral Inſtruments and Materials, beſides and beyond Body, for it to employ the Miniſteries of Body upon, and to work at a diſtance by, that the Action may be memorable and great. He that will build, muſt firſt ſit down p. 147and count the Charge: The King that goes to War, muſt conſider the ſtrength of his Armies, the number of his Men, the Conduct and Reſolution of his Captains, the ſufficiency of his Treaſure: He that ſeparates himſelf to intermeddle with all Knowledge, muſt be furniſh'd with the external, as well as the internal Means of Science; elſe his Succeſs can never amount to Eminency.

Now the preſent State of the World is ſo impoveriſh'd by the Sin of Man, that it can ſupply but Few, in compariſon of the Many; ſo that the ſtrait and low Condition, the unattempting Education and manner of Life, that very many, the moſt of Mankind are confin'd to, by reaſon of Want, fore-prizes the nobler Darings of their Mind, and plunges them ſo low, that they cannot eaſily riſe. The Experiments of this Caſe have been very notable in ſundry Perſons, whoſe Souls have been kept low, and ſuppreſs'd by the lowneſs and narrowneſs of (as they are call'd) their Fortunes; but have ſpread and ſoar'd aloft, when their Sphere of Action hath been made more ample and high, by acceſſion p. 148of thoſe Fortunes: and we need not make any doubt, but that if the Train had been laid in their Youth to Generous Employment, they would have much more excell'd; ſeeing their Souls have, as it were, ſtarted out in their riper years to worthy Menages, being encourag'd by plenty of Means, when their Education had been ſordid. And the ſame thing is proportionably to be believ'd of very many, who yet live and die obſcure and conceal'd, and their name in darkneſs, through Prejudices of a poor Condition, while their Souls are in themſelves as great as any.

And indeed, it is not intended by God, the degenerate State of this World ſhould be ſo noble or free, as to bear up the true and native Greatneſs of Souls in a Multitude, and at their full extent of Action; any more than he hath prepar'd the Firmament for many Suns. A World of Perſonages, Great for their Proweſs, Vertue, Learning, and Wiſdom, would exalt this State too high: It is therefore ſo ordered, that the Spirits of the moſt lie ſtill and contracted by the very cloſeneſs of their Condition, beſides p. 149other Miſadventures; and are ſo diverted upon the little things they have to do with, and ſo ſtraitned by them, that they think of nothing further; and if they do, yet finding no ſcope or opportunity, they repent the Attempt, and retreat back again.

For alas, the Neceſſities of Mankind in theſe Bodies are ſo conſuming and expenſive, and the Riches of the Creation hidden deep, and removed far from uſe, or elſe ſcanty, and daily waſted, that but ſome of Mankind can be ſet out for Glory, and their Undertakings equipp'd for Grandeur: for, what one Man hath, and uſes, another wants; the Abundance of that one Man, is the Poverty of many about him: How few then can make proof of the Deſigns and Action of a Soul?

Further, there are continual Supplantations and Underminings of Humane Nature, and the Virtue of it, by it ſelf; the Endeavours of ſome to riſe are ſurpriz'd and counter-wrought by the Jealouſies of others, who thereupon ſuſpect their own diminution or Ruine. The World is full of Suſpicion, Surmiſe, Envy, and ill Apprehenſion, becauſe there is not enough p. 150for this Soul of Man, whereby to ſhew it ſelf as great as it is, and would fain appear to be.

This Region is ſo ſtinted, that every Greater Intelligence in it thinks it could it ſelf enlighten and move the whole, and is offended with a Joynt-Light, as eclipſing and drowning ſome of its own. Heaven onelyonly entertains an innumerable Company of Glorious Spirits, in their full Luſtre: Their number is Ten thouſand times ten thouſand, and thouſands of thouſands, without the jealouſie or envy of any one.

Yet in this very low condition of Souls, the Soul it ſelf is not the leſs, but conceal'd, as many excellent and moſt potent Things in Nature. A Diamond may be eaſily cover'd, that none of the Beams of it can be ſeen; the ſharp Steel lies quiet in the Sheath; the Fire, that could inflame the whole Courſe of Nature, is hid in the Flint: How often is the Glory of the Sun muffled up in a Cloud? And, to aſcend higher, not onelyonly the Angelical, but the Divine Glory is much reſerv'd, while it is much ſeen: Verily, Iſa. 45. 15.Isa 45:15thou art a God that hideſt thy ſelf, p. 151O God of Iſrael, the Saviour of thy People.

Now this thing ought not to be to Practical Inference.us a Matter of meer Notion or Speculation, but of moſt ſerious conſideration: for this Greatneſs and Potency of our Souls determines it ſelf ſupremely and finally into an Ability and Power to bear Eternal Happineſs or Miſery; and all elſe is but accidental, and by the By to it. It was not made great for any Name of things, that is named in this World, or call'd Great here, how great ſoever. All things that are Arguments of Potency now, do but fall in; the true intention of the Souls being made ſo puiſſant a Being, is, that it might ſuſtain thoſe weights of Glory, Likeneſs to God, Everlaſting Enjoyment of him, without being fainted or overwhelmed: But if it miſcarry from this Happineſs, or fall ſhort of this Glory, all this its Might and Puiſſance enable it ſtill to ſurvive, and bear the maſſie diſpleaſure of God, angry for Sin; and the moſt forcible and terrible Recoils of its own guilty and enraged ſelf, upon it ſelf.

Now a Being thus Potent and Great, p. 152as to ſubſiſt in that Everlaſting Bleſſedneſs or Miſery, can together, and comprehenſively do thoſe ſmaller Great things that are eſteem'd ſo in this World: and yet if it ſhould never do any ſuch, nor have the occaſion of doing them; to be created to the Intents and Purpoſes of an Eternal Condition, makes it compleatly neceſſary it ſhould be made ſo Great as we have aſſerted: And if it were not ſo, we could make but a very imperfect account, to what ends the Souls of ſome Princely and incomparable Young Men are prepared; whoſe riſing and growing Vertue appears onelyonly ſo long, as to ſpring Heroickly, and to give proof of a Divineneſs in the Bud, and then by Death to fade in this World, as early as it bloſſoms, and have no opportunity left to ripen. In theſe at once we ſee both the Greatneſs of a Soul, and that this World is not its proper Sphere, or ſo much as near it; for if it were, ſuch Souls had been made in vain ſo Great: But the State of Eternity juſtifies the Wiſdom of God, in breathing ſo rich a Principle of Life, notwithſtanding ſo little Action here; p. 153becauſe what is ſo ſuperabundant now, is then all of uſe, and nothing to ſpare.

And to preſs this Conſideration further, and more generally, the State of Eternity reduces the Souls of Men univerſally to thus much of Equality, that they are all alike ſtripp'd out of the Cumber and Incommodiouſneſs of a Body, and brought to the nakedneſs and ſimplicity of Spirit, which is the greateſt Advancement of Being, in an abſtract Notion of Being, that a Creature is or can be receptive of. Nor is Spiritual Motion fetter'd or tied up any longer by indigency of ſubſervient Miniſteries: All have that which is full enough to their State.

Souls are then at the height of Immortality and Unchangeableneſs, under a Full-ſail Activity, every way equal to ſo great a Nature, whether it be employ'd in Fruitions or Indurances.

Let us then expatiate thus into Meditation: We that are but of ſo many Foot of Body, and muſt be lodg'd in ſo many Foot of Earth, the meaſure of the Grave, have Souls whoſe Capacities and Action are vaſter p. 154than the whole Creation of Matter: We that dwell in houſes of clay, and Job 4. 19.Job 4:19have our foundation in the duſt, have yet great and potent Souls. If we could perſwade our ſelves we are more than this Hand-breadth of Bodily Condition, and preſent Life, we ſhould prepare our ſelves for ſo great a State of Being, the State that is proper to Souls. All we toil and ſweat for, that we deſign and care for in the World, is Self-preſervation, Self-enjoyment, and Well-being: Why then ſhould we not mind theſe in our largeſt and moſt excellent Quality? We value our ſelves in that which is leaſt, and throw our ſelves away in the main and whole Sum.

Let us then continually reaſon with our ſelves: Our Souls are great; when we go out of the Body, we become Great Spirits. However the Soul keep up cloſe in the Body, yet it may be dilated beyond all poſſible Imagination; as they ſay, An Angel of Gold may be beaten out to cover a whole Acre of Ground. We ſee to what a vaſtneſs Education, Study, Advancement in the World, extends the Souls of ſome Men, that made little p. 155appearance at firſt: To how much a more immenſe Amplitude will the State of Eternity ſtretch out the Receipt of a Soul? and what an abundance of Happineſs or Miſery will it then take in!

How little then, or how great ſoever we ſeem now, all will then be reſolv'd into this final Condition of our Immortal Souls; and the Happineſs of theſe reſts in the Favour of God, a Likeneſs to him in Holineſs, ſpringing out into an Eternal Enjoyment of him.

And while we are here in the World, in this State of our Souls lies our true Greatneſs and Worth: Some that ſeem ſo inconſiderable, that no Man looks after them, yet being greatly Holy, greatly favoured of God, Great Spirits, all Heavenly, the world Hebr. 11. 37, 38.Heb 11:37Heb 11:38is not worthy of them, though they wander up and down on montains, in ſheep-skins, and goat-skins, and be hid in dens and caves of the earth. Others Great in the World, and being alſo truly Good, the Back-parts of their Greatneſs are onelyonly ſeen.

Yea, even in Bad Men, how ſmall or great ſoever they are in the World, p. 156yet that they pertain to an Everlaſting Condition, that they have Immortal Souls, this makes them of greateſt conſideration. To convert them to God, is therefore a great and excellent Work: To ſave a Soul from death, how great is the Service! and how great is the Reward! They that do it, ſhall ſhine as the Stars in the Firmament. How great a Regard to the meaneſt or worſt of Men ſhould it draw, that they pertain to an Eternal Judgment!

The Conſideration of the Soul, as a Being Inviſible, and a Spirit, having invited an often mention of its Eternal or Unchangeable Condition, to which this preſent State is ſubordinate, and diſembogues it ſelf into it, as the Rivers do into the Ocean; I come in the next place to make a modeſt Reſearch into the Nature of Eternity, and the Souls Relation to it.

But in ſpeaking of Eternity, I know he alone is able to declare it, who inhabits Iſa. 57. 15.Isa 57:15it; God himſelf, or the Angels, thoſe Bleſſed Spirits, who were early aſſum'd into larger Participations p. 157of it: Yet ſeeing we alſo are deſign'd to the ſame Participations, it concerns us, as far as we can, to underſtand the Wonder of it.

Eternity then, in its firſt and higheſt Senſe, is not any thing diſtinct from God, but his ſtable unchangeable Being from everlaſting to everlaſting: There is no other Eternity than this, properly and ſtrictly taken, from which is caſt upon the Mind that contemplates a Being ſo ſurrounded with it ſelf, and its own invariable Perfection, a Notion of Everlaſting Duration, and that which is comprehended by it; becauſe, by reaſon of the narrowneſs of our Underſtanding, it is conceiv'd in a diſtinction from the Divine Being it ſelf, we in a ſecondary Senſe call Eternity.

But even, as what we term Ʋbiquity, is that which reſults to us from the Notion or Apprehenſion of God the Immenſe Being filling all, ſo much as even Imaginary Space, while he himſelf is the onelyonly true Ʋbiquity; even ſo Eternity is the Infiniteneſs of God's Being filling all Imaginary Duration, and ſo filling it, that the Divine p. 158Being it ſelf is that very Eternity, of which Everlaſting Duration is but the Shadow that falls from it, as Unbounded Space does from his Omnipreſence.

God then, the Supreme Eternal, or rather Eternity, is a Being that muſt always have been, and ever muſt be: It is moſt impoſſible to conceive he ſhould ever not have been, or ever not be: And he is a Being that never could, and can never be otherwiſe than he is: So that there are no Marks of Diſtinction that could ever be taken from his Being, or from the State and Condition of his Being. He is, He was, He is to come, are all Rev. 1. 8.Rev 1:8united into one Eternal Point or Period in him, and thus expreſs'd, I Exo. 3. 14.Exod 3:14A M: A Being without any variation, Jam. 1. 17.Jas 1:17or ſhadow of turning.