! 
 
 i f 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 * 
 
 CD 
 
 
 
 *-* 
 
 3 
 -t-> 
 
 
 
 |5 t-3 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 •J* 
 
 a3 
 
 
 
 S> fc 
 
 Hi 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 * * 
 
 
 
 
 
 <u o 
 
 " i- 
 
 
 
 
 «£$ E* 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 Q_ 
 
 o 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 *S « 
 
 o 
 
 ,J2 
 
 .5 
 
 
 -** Ph 
 
 CJ .ft 
 
 Vl 
 
 
 ■*£ 
 
 o 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 «t 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 <& 
 
 
 
 
 >* 
 
 
 
 
 & 
 
 
 
 
 *Z. 
 
 
 
 
 & 
 
 
 
 
 •*» 
 
 
 
 
 — _ 
 
 ^8 
 
 
 
 nza^ 
 


Hdirt- .h&K JhmA ■m ft.Mi* 
 
 THE 
 
 Great Soul 
 
 o F 
 
 MAN, 
 
 The Soul in its likenefs to 
 God, its Nature, Opera- 
 tions, andeverlafting 
 State 
 
 DISCOURSED. 
 
 T ~ " 
 
 By Tbo. Beverley. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed for William Miller, at the Gilded 
 
 Aeorn in St. VauVs Church-yard, over 
 
 againft the little Nertb-Doer. 1677. 
 
 ,.A 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE ' 
 
 READER. 
 
 THE Vifeowfe of 
 a Soul may be cm* 
 fired a Nicety by 
 fomejcvbo thin\a\l 
 expence of Time and Paint, 
 for the refining Mem Intel- 
 leBuals in IfeligioHf M.at~ 
 ters 3 a n>ajie and prodigality ; 
 either fromfloth andflupidu 
 ty y which having feifed upon 
 tbem 3 they lay themfelves 
 A 3 down 
 
The Preface. 
 
 down upon the firfl; Rudi- 
 ments of the Do&rine of 
 Chrift, and revolving them- 
 selves to ftich^ there, are an* 
 gry with all that endeavour 
 to go on to Perfection^ as 
 mafyng too much ado, and a- 
 fpiring to be over-wife, not 
 remembring the fevere re- 
 proof upon thofi, who, not- 
 witbftanding their (landing 
 in the ^rofejjion ofQhrijlia- 
 nity, are (I ill fuch as have 
 Heb. $ .i 2 , neec { of Milk, and not of 
 
 13) 14* J 
 
 ftrong Meat, through the 
 not exercifing their ienfes to 
 difcern betwixt Good and 
 Evil. 
 
 Or elfe in others it arifes 
 
 from 
 
The Preface* 
 
 from the little love and regard 
 they bear to Religion ,and a Se- 
 cret favour for Atheifm, nfon 
 which they defign to hgey all 
 Divine Things under as 
 grofs and courfe Kefrefenta- 
 tions as may be, that fo they 
 may taf^e advantage againji 
 them, as if they were of the 
 fame Leaven with Mahome- 
 tane or Popifli Fi&ions. 
 
 To this furfofe they are 
 carried with great vehemency 
 againji the whole nature of 
 Sprit , and particularly a- 
 gainH the Soul of man, as a 
 Jiftinff Being from the 'Body ; 
 well bpowing the DoUrine of 
 a Future State, is both afcer- 
 A 4 tained 
 
The Preface. 
 
 tained. and ennobled from a 
 clear under '/landing , and of- 
 fer ance of fuch a Sprit; 
 whereas on the other fide, by 
 wrapping up all in Body, that 
 Future State becomes Bodily, 
 and Material alfo, and fio the 
 Happinefs or Mifery of it 
 may be blown off, as pleafant 
 Tales or frightful Stories ;for 
 the Body fo plainly mouldring 
 into Dufi and ^ottennefs, it 
 eafily becomes a matter of 
 greateft incertainty, whether 
 ever itjhaU rife again, or not. 
 
 T>efides, how doth it dero- 
 gate from the Glory and Cer- 
 tainty of the Divine Being, 
 when for the denying thefpi- 
 
 rituality 
 
The Preface. 
 rituality of Mans Soul, all 
 things are f lunged down into 
 the thic\ Matter, and the 
 Nature of Sprit deemed an 
 aiery and phantaftic^, or 
 downright , an incompoffible 
 Notion; fo that hereby all 
 foundations are deftroyed : 
 
 But now if the Soul of 
 Man be, as particularly as 
 may be, underflood, and rea- 
 fonedinto, in its Faculties 
 and Operations ; if its im- 
 mortality, and continuing life 
 and motion, after it leaves 
 the Body be clearly afferted, 
 and upon as great moments of 
 Argument, as can be de fired, 
 be demonflrated j if its fenti- 
 
 ments 
 
The Preface. 
 
 merits of Good and EviL, its 
 
 apprehenfons of a Supreme 
 Juflice befo illuflrated, that 
 they may be even felt and per- 
 ceived within us, fo that they 
 can he no more denyed, than 
 the fever al impreffwns made 
 upon the^Body; if what the 
 Scripture in great condefcen- 
 tion vefls under fuch Symbols \ 
 as that it may frihg common 
 Imagination, and alarm the 
 mofi vulgar apprehenfonjoe by 
 a Compare of Scripture with 
 it felf and the ufe of manly 
 Reafon y fublimated to its true 
 fpiritual intent ion y there will 
 arifefrom all this a daily im- 
 provement of Divine Know- 
 ledge 
 
The Preface. 
 ledge and Vnderflanding • a 
 fubfiantialfenfe and afjurance 
 of the Supreme Sprit and his 
 Being ; liveliefl fore-thoughts ; 
 firongeft ajjurances of a Fu- 
 ture State } and confequently, 
 the moft powerful engage- 
 ments to lay hold upon Eter- 
 nal life., and to fly from the 
 wrath that is to come, which 
 are thofe two immenfe (j lobes 
 of the Future State, or the 
 World to come. To which ends 
 this following'Difcourfe is en- 
 deavoured; and that it may he 
 blejfed by God with fuccefs is 
 the Prayer of 
 
 T.B 
 
 EVERLEY. 
 
o< 
 
Theomiflion of diftributing 
 this Treatife into ieveral 
 ' Chapters, is lupplyed by 
 I the following Table. 
 
 The HEADS of this 
 TREATISE. 
 
 THE Introdu3ion. pag. i 
 
 Of Invifihle Beings , and the proof 
 of them. 1 1 
 
 Of the Soul) a Spirit difiinS from the 
 Body. 4 1 
 
 Of the Nature of a Spirit precifely con* 
 fidered. 76 
 
 Of the Souls Aftivity and Self Mo- 
 tion. 8 1 
 
 Of the Souls Immortality. 84 
 
 Of the Souls Self communication, and 
 fo being an Vnderflanding. 96 
 
 Of the Souls likenefs to God in its 
 Tuifjance* 115 
 
 of 
 
The Contents. 
 
 Of Eternity^ and the Souls participa- 
 tion of it. 156 
 
 Of the Soul confidered diftinSly in its 
 Intellectual Powers. 184 
 
 Of the Soul confidered in the AUivity 
 of its Towers. 219 
 
 Of the Soul of Man^ the true feat of 
 Happinefs or Mifery , prefent *nd 
 tverlafting. 235 
 
 Practical Conclusions arifing from the 
 whole Difcourfe. 296 
 
 A Brief Inference concerning the Re* 
 furreSion. 308 
 
*B/9 Cyy9 *W% *wi ♦»(♦ ' 
 
 
 
 PAgc 13. line 16. read Rind of Matter. p.$7.Lie. 
 after Beaftt read in retard of their Soub. I. 12. 
 for thus tad that. 1. 16. for returning read returns. 
 
 r2io. 1. e\ for contract read contracting, p. 250. 
 7. blot jer. p. 225. 1. 26. read Carters, p. 275. 1. t- 
 for another read or&rrs. 
 
 «£» «$» 
 
 •$# «^> «$» «o» 
 
 S23 
 cInJ 
 
 «^> •$* «$* «^» 
 
THE 
 
 Great Soul 
 
 o F 
 
 MAN. 
 
 Job 32. 8. 
 There if a Spirit in Man^ and the 
 Infpiration or Breathing of the 
 Almighty giveth them Under- 
 ftanding. 
 
 IT is a great Subje&s the Soul of 
 Man^ and the whole eftate of 
 it, Now and for Ever 5 of which 
 we have fo dark and confuted . 
 apprehenfions, that we can ex- 
 prefs very little clearly : Darknefs of 
 Conception iflues it felf into Dark- 
 nefs of Expreffion. 
 
 For the forming of the apprehenfi- 
 ons of the Mind , the Dictates and 
 Refiilts of our Reafon, into clear and 
 eloquent expreffion, fit to inftruft and 
 
 B per- 
 
€{je ©jeat ©oul of $)aiu 
 
 perfwade, is a gift of the Divine Wif- 
 dora and Goodnefs, in appendage to 
 our Reafon, and it much follows the 
 ftate and degree of our Reafon, 
 
 Chrift the wifdom of God (pake*/ 
 never man /pake. The Tongue of An" 
 gels excels even as the Vndpftandtng 
 of Angels,. : 
 
 Adam utiderftanding the natures of 
 the Creatures, and fulry comprehend- 
 ing -them^-*garc them fit names , and 
 fuch as carried the Images and very 
 presences of things imprinted upon 
 them, as feme founds now create the 
 words that figni fie them. 
 
 Since fo great a mine of our natures 
 in him, as our Reafon is much declin- 
 ed and degraded, fo is alfo our Elo- 
 quence. For though words, becaufe 
 they are known & agreed upon to fig- 
 nifie fuch and fuch things,call the mind 
 to the confederation of thofe things 5 
 and the more advantagioufly they are 
 put together, the more they prevail 5 
 yet thofe words, and our contexture of 
 them are as much beneath the primi- 
 tive Eloquence, as the Underftand- 
 ings of men now fall below the wit 
 -dom of Innocency. 
 
 Neverthelefs, ftill according to the 
 
 Re- 
 
tE&e ®wt ©oul of ^an; 
 
 Readvancement ofthellnderftanding, 
 fo the Faculty of Difcourfe rifes alfo. 
 
 Solomon in his Wildom and clear 
 Understanding, fpoke with Grandeur 
 of whole Nature, from the Cedar in 
 Lebanon down to the Hyjffope that 
 grows upon thelVall^ and of all Pi- 
 ety and Morality,in words of greateft 
 acceptance and recommendation. 
 
 And proportionable have been the 
 Difcourfes and Writings of the Men of 
 Great Name for Learning and Know- 
 ledge in every Age. 
 
 But in nothing is the Faculty of Di- 
 fcourfe more maim'd and imperfeft, 
 than in Things of a Nature ipiritual 
 and retired from Body 5 and more 
 elpecially as they are Divine, and re- 
 late to God : Becaufe the knowledge 
 of the Things themfelves is moft loft, 
 and the Underftanding fo cramp'd 
 concerning them. 
 
 To be able therefore in fiich Trea- 
 ties to fpeak fo, as to compare Spirt* 
 tual things with Spiritual^ that is, to 
 obfervethe Decorum Spiritual Things 
 require to be fpoken with, there isne- 
 ceflary the Divine Revelation of Scri- 
 pture, and the affiftance of the Holy 
 Spirit: For fo to (peak is that Divine 
 B 2 Vtterance 
 
Utterance , or Elocution , tvhich the 
 Apoftle joins with Knowledge, and 
 magnifies as an Alt of Grace to Fallen 
 man in order to his Recovery, deri- 
 ved from Jefus Chrift, the reftorer 
 of Humane Nature, and is in various 
 degrees diftributed to the profeflbrs 
 of Chriftianity, and conveyed to them 
 in the diligent Exercife of themfelves 
 in Sacred Writings. 
 
 2. The Dulnefs and Inattentivenefs 
 of Hearers makes things hard to be in- 
 terpreted , efpecially things of great 
 Retreat from ordinary Apprehenfion. 
 We cannot fpeak them plainly enough 
 to make people conceive of them fo 
 as to be afFefted with them. 
 
 Yet notwithftanding we having fo 
 often occafion to converie with thefe 
 great Sounds, A Soul, An Immortal 
 Spirit, and its Eternal St ate y there is 
 as great an obligation to (earch the 
 Things, as far as we can, left they ap- 
 pear to us no more, than great founds 
 without as great a Subftance, whereas 
 indeed their Subftance and Reality 
 exceeds their Sound how great foe- 
 ver. 
 
 And to encourage us in this moft 
 induftrious (earch we are firft to op- 
 
 pofe 
 
tEfje ©*f at Soul of $Jam 
 
 pofe to the Difficulty this Confederati- 
 on, That it is not fo much thellnin- 
 telligiblenefs of the things themfelves, 
 as the want of a due Intention of Mind 
 in our inquiries, as alfo an humble ap- 
 plication of our felves to the Divine 
 AfEftance that makes it fo hard to 
 fpeak and hear of thefe Spiritual Sub- 
 jects as Wife men and Chriftians. 
 
 For Difcourfes of them made up of 
 fuch words, as the fpirit of God teach- 
 es, jointed and put together by the 
 fame Wifdom, and then aright receiv- 
 ed, how fignificant and potent would 
 they be, how clearly reprefentative to 
 the Underftanding, how perfwafive 
 upon the whole Soul ? 
 
 And feeing in thefe things we have 
 a kind of natural Knowledge and Ex- 
 perience, like Natural Arithnntique, 
 atidMathematiqnes, (which yet being 
 adorn'd and cultivated by Art are 
 much improved) but efpecially be- 
 caufe we have the Word of God, fo 
 great a light to our feet, and lamp to 
 our paths in our Difcourfe concerning 
 them, and the promife of the Blefled 
 Spirit to aflift our Inquiries intoTruth, 
 There is great reafon of Confidence, 
 the clofer our Refearches, and the 
 B 3 more 
 
C&e ©?eat ©oul of $)am 
 
 more induftrious our Explanations of 
 the things are, the brighter our ap- 
 prehensions, and the more prevailing 
 our Knowledge of them will grow, fo 
 as to enlighten and perlwade others 
 alfo. 
 
 Committing then this Undertaking 
 to Divine Affiftance , I have chofen 
 this great ajfumption oiElihu concern- 
 ing^*?, to reft this Difcourfe upon: 
 There is a Spirit in Man^ and the In- 
 spiration of the Almighty giveth hint 
 Vnderftanding. 
 
 Not that the Soul of Man and its ex- 
 cellent Nature deriving it felf in Cre- 
 ation from God infpiring it, is pre- 
 cifely , and in the firft place here in- 
 tended, or the original proceeding of 
 the Finite Vnderfianding from the In- 
 finite : 
 
 But the mighty Vigor and Force of 
 this Spirit ftirred up by God, and the 
 Underftanding afted to the Height by 
 a more gracious infpiration, enliven- 
 ing, affifting, and letting it on work 
 in (bme peculiar perfons, and to fome 
 peculiar ends and employment, is tfiat, 
 which this Eloquent Reafoner immedi- 
 ately means, and hath a particular re- 
 Ipedt to himfelf in it, as notably affift- 
 
 ed 
 
€&e ©jeat Soul of $)am 7 
 
 ed by God in his following Difcourf- 
 es. Yet it plainly appears, he alludes 
 to that Hifiory of the Firji Creation, 
 theTraditiou of which, all Wife and 
 Cood men had conveyed, and afliir- 
 ed to them by undoubted Monuments, 
 for it very much agrees with, and re- 
 fembles that relation. There is a Spi- 
 rit in man, fays Elihu, a mighty and t?«.i, 26, 
 excellent Spirit '-> In the Image and 
 Liktnefs of God, as Mofes defcribes it. 
 And the Breath of the Almighty givcth 
 him underjianding , as Elihu fpeaks. 
 Which in the words of Mofes is thus 
 expreffed, God breath *d into hit Face Gen - 2 7- 
 the Breath of Life, and Man became a 
 living Soul. That Infpiration gave 
 that Soul of Life, whofe Nature is Vn- 
 derjlanding or IntelleB, and its Life 
 Rational and Intellectual. 
 
 And herein reft fundamentally thofe 
 extraordinary Vigors of which Elihu 
 here fpeaks, when God by zfecondary 
 Donation and Grace enables this spi- 
 rit and VnderSlanding to aft like it 
 felf, and to appear as it is. 
 
 For all excellent motions of Soul 
 infpired by God into eminent perfona- 
 ges, are but Fairer Exemplifications of 
 Creation^ and the Vniverfal Nature of 
 
 B 4 snans 
 
8 C&e<$*eat©oulof ®am 
 
 mans Soul 5 So that while E//A» in- 
 tends fomething further,he affures the 
 main pofition, That Man in general 
 hath a Great Spirit or Soul in him, 
 and an Understanding or Intellect 
 given him by immediate inspiration 
 from God in Creation. 
 
 To give then a defcription of this 
 Great Soul of man, as a foundation of 
 the whole Treaty concerning it, I 
 {hall do it under thefe three following 
 Heads. 
 
 1. As it is considered in its fubftan- 
 tial and Effential Nature, and fo I de- 
 fcribe it : An Invisible Sprit and Im- 
 mortal, made in the Image and Like- 
 ness of God, and nearly allyed to An- 
 gels, the very Noblenefs and Excel- 
 lency of mans Being above Brutes and 
 Common matter. 
 
 2. As it is to be underftood in its 
 immediate Emanations, and Motions 
 of it felf, and fo it is An InteUeUual 
 Light, indued with all the powers of 
 Rational and Moral ABion. It is that 
 by which a man breaths in the free 
 and open Air of Reafon, and Intelli- 
 gence : It is the principle of fuch Acti- 
 on, as is far above fenfe, for if right- 
 ly ordered , it beats the lofty Cha- 
 racters 
 
H&e &?eat ©oul of 8Ban* 
 
 rafters of Good, Holy, Virtuous } and 
 becaufe it cannot fink upon a Common 
 level, if diforderly and irregular, it 
 carries the black indeed, but Tremen- 
 dous names of Sin, Wickedness, Vice. 
 
 3. As it is to be known in its Re- 
 fentments , and fo, It is that which 
 taftes, and enjoys all Good, or feels 
 and endures, difcerns and perceives 
 Evil, and Mifery. If that be well, the 
 whole is well 5 If that be wounded, 
 and in Torment, there can be no Eafe, 
 or Remedy 5 And it is prepared to be 
 a Great, and Ample Receipt of, and a 
 mod vehement Agent in its own Ever- 
 la fling Happinefs or Mifery. This 
 Soul is that, which is Eternally Happy 
 or Miserable. 
 
 And though this Spirit be hid in the 
 Body, and the Body feems to be All^ 
 yet it can indeed do nothing, nor feel 
 any thing, but as the Soul does by it 5 
 and this Body, becaufe as it is now, it 
 is an Inftrument unfit, is laid afide in 
 Death, without any prejudice to the 
 Souls ASion , or Refentment 5 but to 
 the unfpeakable Exaltation of it : and 
 at laft a Body more fit for its ufe is giv- 
 en to it, and which is every way pro- 
 portion d to its ftate, whether of Hap- 
 pinefs or Mifery. N o w 
 
io C$e <§5?eat ©out of g@am 
 
 Now whofbever fliall well weigh, 
 and confider this Soul, will ftand 
 amazed at the little value of it among 
 men, (who profefs to believe fuch, or 
 like reprefentations of it) and will 
 oblige himfelf to a far higher Eftima- 
 tion of it, and care for it, there being 
 no other reafbnto be rendred, why fo 
 great and worthy a Part, or to fpeak 
 more properly a MansTruefelfttiould 
 be negle&ed, but what is to be imput- 
 ed to extreme madnefs, fuch as a mans 
 Throwing himfelf into Seas, or 
 Flames, or Starving himfelf, contrary 
 to all Laws of Self-prefervation would 
 be 5 except that this Soul flies fo much 
 from it felf, as it judges by fenfe, and 
 is (b hidden in the body, by afting fo 
 much, not only by it, but for it, that 
 it appears wholly Body. 
 
 And men being unwilling to put 
 themfelves upon fevere Reafbn to be 
 aflfured of it, and very incredulous of 
 Divine Revelation , that elfe gives a 
 more eafie and fudden Certainty con- 
 cerning it $ they will not believe it is 
 any thing but Body, and fo with Soul 
 deny Soul, preferring Body only, be- 
 cause the Soul is moft fenfible, and vi- 
 fible, asitafts, and infpires that, and 
 
 loves 
 
loves, and is pleafcd with it felf raoft, 
 as fo aftive, and therefore wilfully 
 confents to its own Eclipfe by Body. 
 
 To remove therefore this prejudice, 
 I begin with the firft part of the De- 
 fcription, That the Soul is Invifeble^and 
 fo to difcourfe it, that it may appear, 
 that Invijible put into the Souls Cha- 
 racter is fo far from a derogation to 
 the Soul, that it is a great Advance- 
 ment to its Nature, For the moft Ex- 
 cellent order, and ftate of Beings, is 
 of Beings Invifible, Beings not (een 
 with the Eye, nor felt with the Hand, 
 nor approached to by Senfe } Beings 
 whofe operations give afTurance to 
 Reafon and Faith they are,and of what 
 degree of Efficacy they are, an Effica- 
 cy far furpaffing all vifible Agents,even 
 to Infinite^ of which even Senfe may 
 and muft be witneft in multitude of 
 Effe&s, though the Caufes themfel ves, 
 and the manner of their working be 
 indifcernible by Sight or Senfe. 
 
 And now I am fpeaking of Things 
 Invijible in contra-diftinftion to things 
 of Sight and Senfe , I would ufe this 
 occafion to make the way fairer to all 
 that may be after faid, by taking an 
 account of the way, by which Senfe 
 
 comes 
 
12 
 
 comes to its cognizance of Things, 
 and where it ftops, and can go no fur- 
 ther, and how Reafon and Faith pro- 
 ceed ftill, and go infinitely beyond. 
 
 By Senfe I underffand that Power of 
 Soul, that moves towards, and takes 
 in the perception of Things by the 
 due motion of Bodily Organs fitted 
 thereto^ the obje&s of which are Bo- 
 dily and Material alfo : and though it 
 be the Soul that a&s by thefe Organs, 
 and fo is the true original, and laft re- 
 fort of Senfe} which appears in that 
 though Body, or any part of it be no- 
 torioufly imprefled by Mattery yet if 
 the Soul be bufie , and much taken 
 up elfewhere, no Senfe follows, at 
 leaft till the Soul is more at leifure, 
 and can give attendance to Body, or 
 that part of it fo imprinted : Notwith- 
 ftanding this, yet becaufe the Aftion 
 fpoken of, is immediately performed 
 by matter upon matter, and Bodily 
 Nature meets in both, the knock of 
 the one againft the other is fo forcible, 
 and -with fuch remark to the Soul, 
 that dwells within, and cannot but 
 take notice, as gives us greateft con- 
 fidence, and affurance in the refultj 
 and nothing feems more Certain and 
 
 Unde- 
 
€(je flSjeat ©oul of $Jam 1 3 
 
 Undenyable, than things fo attefted 
 to us, who are fo far funk down 
 into Bodily Nature, the Soul (as I 
 have already intimated J being mod 
 fatisfied in its own Afts by, and upon 
 Body. 
 
 Now Sight is comprehenfive of all 
 ' Senfe, becaufe Senfe turns it felf, as 
 much as it can, to every objeft by 
 Sight, being the moft Excellent of 
 Senfes, and the other Senfes quicken, 
 and engage Sight, as much as may be: 
 fo that Invifible Beings , and Beings 
 unaccountable to Senfe are much of 
 the fame avail in fignification , as to 
 what concerns this Cafe. In fumm 
 then, Things of a Bodily Groflhefs are 
 thofe only, that fall within the line of 
 Senles Communication, and are termed 
 ViQble. 
 
 ButReafon is a Power, and opera- 
 tion beyond Senfe, it felf being the 
 ftream of a Pure and Immaterial Foun- 
 tain, it winds it felf in, where matter, 
 that Senfe afts by, cannot enter, and 
 through the outward Rind or Matter, 
 it pafles into what lies within 5 & where 
 Matter hath neither made, nor receiv- 
 ed any Impreffion, yet there it divines 
 by its own proper Sentiments, making 
 
 ufe 
 
14 t£{je ®mt ©out of $tem 
 
 ufe and advantage, and receiving 
 Service from. Senfe, fo far as it is able 
 to go, it leaves it, where it can go no 
 farther, and when it hath fearched be- 
 yond it, it can again compare the 
 fruits of that fcarch with fenfible and 
 experimental Evidences, and fb work 
 by Senfe, and with it, and alfo above 
 it, and beyond it 5 yea and even with- 
 out it. Faith yet far exeeds Reafon 
 alone, by receiving Oracles from the 
 Higheft Reafon and Understanding, 
 Cod himfelf} whofe infinity of Know- 
 ledge leaving our Span of Knowledge 
 at unmeafurable diftances behind it, 
 gives trueft and fulleft accounts of all 
 Things, and by believing what he re- 
 veals, we receive the Benefit of his AH 
 Comprehending Knowledge. 
 
 This general Premifal being given, 
 I come to argue the thing it felf, That 
 Invifible Beings are not the left be- 
 cause they are Invifible, but they are 
 upon true Inquiry found to be the 
 Greateft of Beings, and therefore the 
 Greater, becaufe they are Invifible. 
 Argum, 1. There are many and Great Effefts, 
 that the Senfes every day converfe 
 with, and becaufe they fo eafily per- 
 ceive them, and are fo well acquainted 
 
 with 
 
tct)e ©?eat Soul of &)atu 1 5 
 
 with them, we call them Senfes, or 
 powers of Perception } and yet by 
 the utmoft Search and Inquiry Reafon 
 can put them upon, it cannot find out 
 by them Caufes potent enough for 
 theft Effe&s. 
 
 When we furvey the whole World, 
 and all the Creatures in it, and their (b 
 Lively and Vigorous,and yet fo excel- 
 lently govern cl Motions,we arejudges 
 of the Things themfelves by Senfe,and 
 they cannot be denied : but Senft caa 
 offer no Caufe high enough for thefe 
 effe&s, we muft needs therefore con- 
 clude by the Suffrage of Reafon, There 
 is fbme Caufe unfeen, that is the fpring 
 of AIL For the Determinations of * 
 Reafon are, that till we come to the 
 firft Caufe, every Thing muft have a 
 Caufe, and that the Caufe muft be 
 fuperior to the Effeft in that thing, 
 wherein it is the Caufe of it 5 when 
 therefore there is anEffeft, to which 
 no feen Caufe is able and fiifficient, 
 there muft be fome unfeen Caufe that 
 does produce it. 
 
 If a man ihould hear from a Tree, 
 or Beaft, the voice of Words, and 
 Humane Difeourfe,how readily would 
 he Conceive fome higher original of 
 
 that 
 
t6 tS$e <8>?eat ©oul of $tan. 
 
 that Speech, and thofe Words, than 
 that Beaft, or Tree ? 
 
 If then we obferve fuch a World, 
 and Government of it, as muft needs 
 proceed from a Counfel, andReafbn, 
 a Prudence, and Underftanding, arm'd 
 with a power, and unbounded puif- 
 fence, and we fee none high enough 
 thereunto, we cannot but conclude, 
 There muft be ftill fome Caufe as high 
 as thefeEffe&s, however it be Invifible 
 to us. 
 
 For when we take account of all 
 the Beings here, we eafily grant, the 
 moft Confiderable for fuch Effe&s is 
 Man, his Reafbn and Providence were 
 moft likely to fummon things fo toge- 
 ther, and to keep them in their orders 
 but we prefently find he neither hath a 
 Might,nor a Knowledge fufficient. Not 
 a Might, for the Heavens above him 
 are far out of his Reach, or any appli- 
 cation he can make to them. The 
 Earth under him is too big for any of 
 his Engines to difpofe. The Waters 
 about him are altogether out of his 
 Grafp, and all that he can poffibly do 
 in the fumm of thefe, is plainly juft 
 nothing at all. His utmoft attempt is 
 to obtain what advantages he can to 
 
 himfelf C 
 
 / 
 
C&e ©?eat ©oul of gtatn x 7 
 
 himfelf from them, according to the 
 nature wherein they are already fix d 
 and fettled} And as for his knowledge 
 of them, it is but as a fpan to the tint- 
 verfe, he fearches and pries, and re- 
 ceives but a very little, and his great- 
 eft Knowledge is to know his own 
 Ignorance,fb impoffible it is he (hould 
 be either the Author or Confervator 
 of them. 
 
 But oh how prodigious is it to 
 think, Things {hould by fome lucky 
 Hit caft themfelves as by a Throw in- 
 to this Order and Harmony ! 
 
 For Chance provides not for every 
 circumftance of any thing, or if it 
 Ihould hit (b well throughout in one 
 Thing, in how many would itmifs? 
 But we fee things great and (mall, and 
 without number, ordered with fo ex- 
 aft a Care and Contrivance, atid 
 among them very many little Things, 
 upon which yet great confequences 
 and conveniencies depend, that none 
 but a moft excellent Mind could fore- 
 caft or provide for fome very great and 
 defigning Architect 5 and it ought to 
 be no prejudice againft him, that we 
 do not fee him. 
 
 When any one (lands on a Tower, 
 C and 
 
1 8 %ty ©?eat ©out or $9att ♦ 
 
 and fees upon the Sea a Ship gallantly 
 Equipped, with its Sails, Mafts, and 
 all the various Tackling of it, and 
 when by fettled obfervation he finds 
 k moves with Defign and Inftruftion, 
 and if he Qiould further know, it at- 
 tends certain and ftable Rules, though 
 the Pilot and Sailors are not feen, nor 
 the Artificer that built it, nor the 
 Owner that defigns with it , yet could 
 he think that there neither are, nor 
 were fuch, but that all this is the con- 
 trivance of Accident, becaufe he fees 
 nothing but the Ship > 
 
 While then Naturalifts obferve fuch 
 an Earth floating in the Air , and a 
 World fwimming in the boundlefnefs 
 of Imaginary Space, and keeping yet 
 thofe juft Rules by which all things 
 move j fhould it be any reafon to con- 
 clude becaufe he fees none able to 
 guide this Frame, There is none ? 
 
 Is it not rather to be concluded, 
 Thereisanlnvifible fupremeCaufe? 
 
 If a man were firft caft upon a De- 
 fcrt, and after fhould come to a City 
 adorned with Temples, Palaces, Mag- 
 nificent Structures all of great Beau- 
 ty, Proportion and Order, and fhould 
 yet find no Inhabitants, but what are 
 
 beneath 
 
TE&e ©?eat Soul of ©am *$ 
 
 beneath the wifclom of fiich a magnifi- 
 cence 5 would hefo much as fufpeft, 
 this was a fortuitous convention of the 
 Materials into fuch an Union, and not 
 prefently refolve? There are or have 
 been perfbnages equal to the work 
 they fee, although they fee not them. 
 When a man is in an empty Room, 
 fees no man, but hears the voice of ex* 
 cellent Reafon and Difcourfe, he will 
 conclude - A Man however placed out 
 of fight, or a Greater than a Man is 
 there, 
 
 And why then fhould we fo much 
 as furmize, Effe&s far greater than 
 thefe fhould have been wander'd into 
 by an incertain up and down Rolle, or 
 Frisk of Things? 
 
 And if we allow there is Co great, 
 though an unfeen Caufe of all thofe 
 Things, we may allow alfo, it is great* 
 er than any of thofe things that are 
 feen, not only becaufe it is their Caufe, 
 but becaufe it hath reached thofe Ef- 
 fects that none of them can extend 
 themfelves unto, and have great rea- 
 fon to be affured , the Caufe is the 
 greater for being feen only in its Ef- 
 fects, and not in it felf 5 feeing thofe 
 things that are feen, have feme fuch 
 C 2 difad- 
 
so <&#$ ®?eat ©oul of $)atn 
 
 difadvantages upon them, whatever 
 they are, that they cannot work, as 
 this unfeen Caufe hath done$ and 
 therefore further we have reafbn to 
 believe, that their very being feen is 
 one of thofe difadvantages, and that 
 which runs through all the reft 5 fee- 
 ing we cannot find in a whole world 
 of vifible Beings any one, that can 
 work like this invifible Caufe $ and 
 therefore that it appertains to it to be 
 invifible,that it may be a Caufe fo uni- 
 verfal} of both which it is no hard 
 thing to conceive the account. 
 
 For that things may fall under fenfe 
 they rauft be grofs, and fo are cum- 
 berfom, (hut out of things by their 
 own unfitnefs for penetration, capa- 
 ble of oppofition, fubjeft to diflblu- 
 tion. They muft alfo be of a flow, 
 confined, reftrained nature : But things 
 purer, and not condefcending to fenfe 
 may be free from thefe 5 and whatever 
 is the foveraign Caufe of all, muft be 
 fo, for he muft be of an excellency of 
 power, perfeftly free, and dif-incum- 
 bred, of an infinitely quick motion, 
 too high for oppofition, more intimate 
 to things than themfelves, for he it 
 over all, in all> through all, and there- 
 fore 
 
Ht&e ©jeat ©oul of 89aiu 2 1 
 
 fore muft be alfo fo tranfcendently 
 pure, as not to fall under dull and 
 flow- fight ed fenje. 
 
 And if there be one unfeen Being, 
 there may be more, and they that are, • 
 not be the left, becaufe they are not 
 to be feen, but the greater, refem- 
 bling in fome degree the excellency of 
 that fuper-invifible Being, whom no 
 man hath feen nor can fee^ and fuch a 
 one we affirm the Soul of man to be. 
 
 When we come to man himfelf, we Argum. a< 
 perceive evidently, and undeniably 
 by our fenfes, and thofe conclufions 
 we make from them, as certain, as 
 themfelves, how high, and great the 
 effe&s of Humane R.eafon and Under- 
 ftanding are 5 what huge and orderly 
 contrivances of all forts have been ac- 
 complifhed by men, what Laws, Go- 
 vernments, Colleftions of knowledge 
 have been, and are continually.extant 
 among them 5 what afpiring of reli- 
 gious and devout thoughts, as (b ma- 
 ny (earches and attempts beyond this 
 world, and that all thefe are without 
 parallel among all the reft of the Crea- 
 tures under heaven. 
 
 Now what is there in man, that is 
 
 feen, to the funftion of which we 
 
 C 3 would 
 
i 5 tS^e ©jeat ©oul of $)am 
 
 would intruft thefe offices and admt- 
 niftrations? Who can believe the Eye, 
 or Tongue, or Hand could of them- 
 felves contribute to any of thefe things 
 in the firft plot or device of them ? or 
 if we look into all the inward parts of 
 humane body, that Anatomy pryefs in- 
 to, which of them can be fit for lb 
 great an employment ? or how can 
 the whole frame amounting from no 
 higher particulars confpire one part 
 with another into Co high achieve- 
 ments? How notorioufly are all the 
 pretences made for any of them baffled 
 by true Philofophy ? fb that there 
 muft be fome other Architeft of them, 
 though out of fight. 
 
 What an excellency is there in man 
 above beafts ? Their higheft motions, 
 and fuch as we admire for their ap- 
 proach to Humane Reafon ("except 
 fuch wherein the wifdom of the God 
 of Nature is immediately feenj ftoop 
 as much below thofe of men, as the 
 faint light of the Moon falls below the 
 luftre of the Sun, or as the untuned, 
 unmodelled found of a mufical Inftru- 
 ment made by a vulgar Hand, or wild 
 Notes, come (hort of the Mufick and 
 Harmony of fome excellent Artift, or 
 
 as 
 
tr&e ©?eat ©oul of igtom jrs 
 
 as the gamefbm leaps and rebounds Qf * 
 Wild Creatures differ from the meafu- 
 red and becoming moves of a raoft 
 orderly Dance. And yet the Bodies of 
 men, and the Organs of fenfe in them 
 differ fo little from thofe of Beafts in 
 relation to the main of thefe great ef- 
 fects, that when we confider man in 
 the majefticknefs of true Reafon and 
 Understanding, and fee fo little upon 
 his body, more than in theirs, we 
 cannot but acknowledge fomething 
 divine within him, that, as we may fay 
 with reverence to the higheft Majefty, 
 fits as a God there. The Body is a 
 Palace, or Temple indeed compared 
 with the bodies of Beafts, but this 
 (hews it only to be the Refidency of 
 fo great an Inhabitant, and in fome pe- 
 culiarities it may be fo framed, as to 
 be prepared thereby to be the Inftru- 
 mentoffo great an Artift, but both 
 fignifie as little to the immediate fource 
 of Reafon, as a (lately Houfe, or more 
 curious Instrument do to the Offices 
 or Dilcharges of the Mafter of the 
 Houfe or Art, the magnificence and 
 prudence of the one, the exadrnefs 
 and curiofity of the other. To this 
 we rauft ftill recourfe, There is a fpirit 
 C 4 in 
 
24 C&e ©?eat Soul of $)atu 
 
 7/2 «*<*#, rfffrf f Ae breath of the Almigh- 
 ty gives him underftanding , *«J 
 teacheth him more than the heajis of 
 the fields and maketh him wifer than 
 the fowls of heaven. 
 
 And yet it is hard to perfwade any 
 ferious confiderer, that the utmoft at- 
 tempts and endeavours of matter can 
 arife to the performance of the duties 
 of very Senfein thefe brute Creatures, 
 how much lefs can it to thofe of Rea-> 
 fon in man ? In man then we fee effe&s, 
 that witnefs enough fome great Caufe, 
 and Original we fee not 5 yet (till fee- 
 ing theEffe&s are plainly greater,than 
 we can attribute to any thing, that may 
 be feen in man, this Caufe, becaufe 
 not to be feen, is not leffer than other 
 things in man, that are to be feen, but 
 greater, (and therefore greater for not 
 being to be feen) becaufe it is notfub- 
 jeft to the inabilities of thofe parts of 
 man,we can fee,and yet cannot afcribe 
 the Effefts to, becaufe they are fo 
 much above them. 
 
 And yet too we might well expeft 
 thefe great Effe&s from the vifible 
 parts of an Humane Body, if any 
 where, feeing man is the moft excel- 
 lent of che vifible Creatures, we know $ 
 
 but 
 
tElje ©?eat ©aul of ® an. 2 5 
 
 but as we reafoned before, in fpeaking 
 of the firft Caufe, All things that are 
 feen are too impure, and unweildy to 
 conduft things to fo great ends,as thofe 
 of Reafon and Intelligence : and fo 
 not enough to aft in the likenefs of 
 the firft Caufe, which likenefs we muft 
 all along obferve, as the true Key of 
 the knowledge of mans Soul. Argum. $, 
 
 To make the entertainment of in- 
 visible Beings, and their greatnefs, ea- 
 fier to us, let us flirvey the whole 
 ftate of Beings vifible, and we fhall 
 find, It is not any of their outward li- 
 neaments, fhape, colour, habit, figure, 
 or apparent motion, that makes them 
 what theyare,but their retir'd Effences. 
 
 A Drug hath not its nature from its 
 fhape, colour, or common circura* 
 ftances, wherein it may agree, or be 
 exceeded by other things of lefs vir- 
 tue, or by thofe of its own kind, 
 that have loft their virtue, though 
 they may ftill have the outward fem- 
 blances 5 but there is fomething with- 
 in, that is not to be pored upon by 
 Senfe, but is pierced to by Reafon 
 and Underftanding. The appearance 
 of Gold counterfeited deceives the 
 £ye, but is detefted by the Reafon, 
 
 that 
 
3 6 Wvt ©?eat ©oul of *pam 
 
 that try es things themfelves. If any 
 thing be painted fo to the life, that it 
 cheats the fight, and feems to be the 
 very thing that itdiffembles, yet it is 
 never the more the thing. It is there- 
 fore an unfeen nature, from which 
 every thing hath its virtue. Hence it 
 appears, theje is a great retirement of 
 that which is the Kernel of thefe Be- 
 ings,from outward garbs, lineaments, 
 appearances, and it fairly leads us to 
 the belief of Beings invifible, whofe 
 whole nature and beings are hidden 
 from Senfe, but only in their operati- 
 ons, wherein they exceed fo much, 
 as to recompenfe, with that evidence 
 of themfelves, the retreat of their Be- 
 ings from fight. 
 
 For if thofe poorer things, whofe 
 pretence is (mall, and their effe&slow, 
 and their effence but a duly prepared 
 matter, and fo muft for the raoft part 
 lye open to Senfe, have yet a fecret 
 of their effence in referve, and made 
 folemn by a vail of fecrecy drawn over 
 theras how reafonable is it to think, 
 the higheft operations fhould have 
 their feat in Beings wholly immateri- 
 al and invifible, of which the fu- 
 preme, God, is known to Senfe only 
 
 by 
 
€t?e <£?eat *oul of ggatu 27 
 
 by ^ffe&s, and the Souls of men the 
 lowed of them, by afting in and by 
 vifibleand material Bodies indeed,yet 
 in their operations and trueft nature 
 wholly independent upon them ? 
 
 The appearances like to men in Bo- Argum. 4. 
 dies, Invisible Beings have (bmetimes 
 put on, and the great effefts they have 
 wrought in fuch, or any other appea- 
 rances to Senfe, as demonstrations of 
 themfelves to it, perfwade the reality 
 of their Beings, and the greatnels of 
 them. 
 
 For by fuch addrefles, and fuch kind 
 of effefts, as are the moil afluring cre- 
 dentials to men, as they are now in 
 Bodies, they have given to fenfe and 
 fight great fatisfa&ion, and notices of 
 themfelves, and at the fame time awa- 
 kened Reafon to obferve, they were 
 fome unufual and ftranger Beings, and 
 not familiar and ordinary ones, and 
 that they took up a (hort lodging on- 
 ly in thefc appearances, to put Senfe 
 out of doubt concerning rhemfelves. 
 
 For in the mean time, to make it 
 plain to Reafon, that they exceeded 
 the force of all vifible things, and 
 were not tyed to aft by their propor- 
 tion, or fo much as by the rule the 
 
 Soul 
 
29 tEOe $?eat ©oul of ggtatt* 
 
 Soul of man in the body afts by, they 
 have always contrived into fome part, 
 or circumftance of their appearances, 
 or the effe&s they wrought, tokens 
 of their fpirituality and grandeur } 
 they did fomething wonderful , fo 
 that while they have defended to 
 fenfe, they have alfo amazed it, and 
 one way or other unriddled their di£ 
 guife. From whence arife thefe plain 
 chara&ers of Invisible 'Beings. 
 
 i. The reality of their Beings, not- 
 withstanding their invifibility, feeing 
 they can, as they pleafe, demonftrate 
 themfelves by the way of Senle, and 
 aflume vifibility not to make them- 
 felves more real, but more known to 
 men, that otherwife being in body 
 judge at disadvantage of thofe out 
 of it. 
 
 2. Their independency upon viabi- 
 lity^ feeing they could do all out of 
 that vifible appearance they do in it, 
 and do indeed much more out of it, 
 than they do in it. 
 
 3.- Their preference of invifibility 
 to vifbility y feeing they appear only 
 aihorttime. Body to higheft and 
 trueft Beings is inconfiderable, though 
 it feem great to us $ efpeeially thofe 
 
 grofs 
 
Utje #?eat @ oul of $)an* 29 
 
 grofs and dull ones we converfe in, or 
 are to converfe with, and it is in 
 greateft indulgence to us, that they 
 ftoop down into them, as wife men 
 fometimes comply a little while with 
 the fanfies and humours of children. 
 
 4. Their fuperiority to vifible Be- 
 ings, in that they form their appea- 
 rances with fome extraordinaries, or 
 do things fo great in them, as con- 
 vince them to be of a higher order. 
 
 Now for the affurance of thefe ap- 
 pearances, I especially reft upon the 
 Hiftories hereof in the Scripture,tho(e 
 fenfible evidences of the Divine Pre- 
 fence, the appearances of the good 
 Angels recorded in it, which are fo 
 many, and fo plain, as to make up a 
 full proof of invisible Beings, and not 
 fo much as, with any likelihood of 
 truth, to be eluded by thofe, who 
 profefs to believe thofe facred Re- 
 cords. 
 
 The (allies of evil Angels upon the 
 world, and the poffeffions they took 
 of the bodies of men, doing things in 
 them beyond the general Laws of Bo- 
 dy, related alfo to us in Scripture,may 
 be reduced hereunto. 
 
 As additional proof hereof, we may 
 
 entertain 
 
$o C&e ©#at ©oul of 89am 
 
 entertain thofe memories of fuch ap- 
 pearances in common ftory, that are 
 writ with greateft judgment, fobrie- 
 ty and arguments of veracity. 
 
 Now all this is applicable to the 
 Souls of men thus far, firft as it gives 
 a common proof there are Invisible 
 Beings^ of which order we affirm the 
 Soul to be 5 and fecondiy, feeing the 
 Soul was made in the Image of God, 
 and in an allyance with Angels, it 
 hath a fubftantial greatnefs like them j 
 laftly, it muft, as they, he independent 
 it felf upon matter, and have a force 
 much above it, though it be for a time 
 fubjugated to the laws of a Body, and 
 fb cannot (hew it felf in its own na- 
 ture, till it be in a feparated ftate, or 
 joined to a Body more fuited to its 
 operations. 
 
 If any fhould fay, why are not thefe 
 appearances more frequent and ufual > 
 The anfwer is, That were altogether 
 unfuitable to the ftate and majefty of 
 thefe invisible Beings 5 which like that 
 of the Eaftern Princes, ftands much in 
 retirement, and as they^ were rarely 
 ften, and not but upon great occafi- 
 ons, when they had weighty defigns 
 to manage, or when it had been called 
 
 into 
 
H&e ©?eat ©oul of &tam 3 1 
 
 into queftion, whether they were 
 alive or not, becaufe not feen for fome 
 {pace of time. Thus invifible Beings, 
 good and holy, have in vifible fhapes, 
 though rarely, vifited the fublunary 
 world, and for great ends of fervice 
 to God, and alfo that they might 
 thereby refute atheiftick and unbe- 
 lieving conceipts, and give afTurance 
 of themfelves. 
 
 Unholy fpirits chained up by Di- 
 vine Power appear but at command, 
 fo often and no oftner than God plea- 
 fes 5 for it may be fuppofed the De- 
 vil would not thus appear but upon 
 neceffity and conftraint laid upon him 
 by Divine Providence, becaufe his 
 Kingdom fuffers fo much by the 
 knowledge of Beings removed from 
 fenfe, yet when he muft appear, it is 
 moft agreeable to fo infolent a Spirit, 
 to do it to excels, and with greateft 
 troublefomnefs, if not reftrained by 
 God. 
 
 But God for the general in this ri- 
 per Age of the world, and under the 
 fettled light of the Gofpel, teaches 
 mankind by rational and intelle&ual 
 evidences, that are fo eafily to be 
 drawn into obfervation by us, and by 
 
 thofe 
 
3 2 tE&e ©?eat Soul of $g)an. 
 
 thofe clear and fpiritual documents 
 given us in his Word 5 efpecially fince 
 fuch a teftimony, as hath been granted 
 to men, of heavenly and invifible 
 powers in a humane body, a&ing with 
 a virtue fo divine, and miraculous, and 
 lb apparent to fenfe. 
 
 For what could be greater, than the 
 whole Hiftory of the Life and Death, 
 the Refurre&ion and AfcenGon of jFe- 
 fus Chrifi our Lord, to all that are 
 indeed Chriftians, an invifible power 
 tranfafting fo lively before fenfe, all 
 thofe fo high demonftrations of it fel£ 
 and then framing and propagating a 
 Do&rine every way agreeable to it 
 lelf, and fpreading it through the 
 whole world? 
 
 Ifnotwithftanding all this the man 
 ofSeofewill not apprehend, nor ac- 
 cept any proof of fuch Beings, except 
 our Senfes were daily Spectators of 
 them 5 he very ridiculoufly exa&s the 
 tryal of thofe things by Senfc, which 
 are plainly affirmed to be out of the 
 compafs of Senfe, and all its reach 5 
 he "demands to fee and touch, that 
 which cannot be feen or felt. 
 
 Now it is certain, that which is out 
 of the fphere of any faculty whatfo- 
 
 ever, 
 
€&e ®?eat 0oul of ©an* 33 
 
 ever, cannot be tryed and judged by 
 that faculty, any more than the eye 
 can judge of founds, or the ear of co- 
 lours, or light be heard, or an excel- 
 lent noife of mufick be feen. Senfe 
 ought not to be called Jo fit in judg- 
 ment upon things that are above it, 
 as finite knowledge cannot raeafiire 
 the poffibilities of omnipotency. Ants 
 may as well be confulted with, whe- 
 ther a Palace may be built over their 
 heap, or Beafts decide, whether there 
 be any reflexes of Reafon, as Senfe 
 be put to judge thofe thingss that 
 are only to be difcerned by Reafon, or 
 to meafure by an unequal Reafon, 
 what Faith, which is Reafon advan- . 
 ced by Revelation, can alone give us 
 an account of 
 
 How liberal an allowance is it to 
 Senfe , that there is in fo many parti- 
 culars, as we have already taken no- 
 tice of, a foundation laid in it for 
 Reafon and Faith to ground their fur- 
 ther fearch, and aflurances upon ? 
 
 And as for the great perverfenefs of 
 fuch men, that would make Senfe ufurp 
 higher, and their prefamptions a- 
 gainft invifible Beings in the confi- 
 dence of that, the fager confents of 
 D wife, 
 
34 ^fa ©*eat ®oul of $)atn 
 
 wife, learned, and pious men, and the 
 general inclination the univerfality of 
 mankind have difcovered to a belief of 
 fuch Beings, make thofe prefumptions 
 Appear no other, thm a diffidence or 
 diftruft in every thing but Senfe, and 
 is no more confiderable, than a Scep- 
 ticks fufpicion of other things, mod 
 affured to other men by fenfe it (elf, or 
 an ignorant mans difficulty to believe 
 the Sun and Stars any bigger than they 
 feem to be. 
 Inference. From this Difcourfe of In vifible Be- 
 ings very juftly arifes an expoftulati- 
 on with our.felves, for our irreligious 
 brutifhnefs and fenfuality, that we do 
 not more mind thefe invifible natures, 
 and confider God, our Souls, the eter- 
 nal ftate, our negleft chiefly arifing, 
 becaufe they are not feen, although we 
 have other great aflurances of them. 
 As Beafts, we are only afFefted with 
 what ftrikes our Senfe. 
 
 But let us obferve every thing, the 
 more invifible it is, that indeed of the 
 greater force and efficacy it is. The 
 Spirits of things lye hid, and conceal- 
 ed from the eye, till they iffue out in- 
 to operation. 
 
 There are lbme very few things 
 
 <juick 
 
C&e ©?eat ©out of 39am 3 5 
 
 quick upon the Senfe, that are alfo 
 full of power, as light, fire, a flafhof 
 lightnings and we ufe by thefe to ex* 
 preftfpiritual Beings, becaufe theyafd 
 of grcateft feparation from dull Body, 
 and ordinary grofs matter, and too 
 mighty for Senfe to be roo free with. 
 
 But let us confider, how worthy 
 thefe Invifible things are of ouf 
 thoughts, by this plain inftance ; 
 
 If any of thofe Beings fhould make 
 an appearance to us, as to fome of 
 old, that we read of in the Scripture, 
 and in a retirement, what affrightmen? 
 would it be to us? how unable were 
 any fott of men to bear fuch an ap- 
 proach ? and yet the force of their 
 Beings is not in their appearance, but 
 in the Effence it felf 5 for the appea- 
 rance they take upon them,and throw 
 off again at pleafure, and they only 
 condefeend to Senfe by thefe appea- 
 rances, that are therefore no part of 
 their ftrength} that lies treafured up 
 wholly in their Eflences, fo that their 
 being feen adds nothing to them, but 
 as we dwell in Body, they are repre- 
 fented more plainly to us, and fo feem 
 more potent, and dreadful alfo to 
 us. 
 
 D 2 Now 
 
3 6 ©&e ©tf at ©oul of gtetn 
 
 Now when we are to dye, we are to 
 enter into the whole world ofthefe iff 
 vifible Beings^nd. how (hall we be able 
 to bear fo great aprefence, if we do 
 not prepare our (elves for the encoun- 
 ter > 
 
 It is true we (hall be fitted the more 
 to endure fuch a ftate thus far, that 
 we (hall be uncloathed of fle(h and 
 blood, in which we are fo amazed with 
 any thiqg of the other world 5 bat 
 then it is further to be confidered, if 
 we are not reconciled to that Supreme 
 Being, whom though (as the Apoftle 
 hath affured us) No manhath feen, or 
 can fee 5 yet becaufe of that, his dif- 
 pleafure is fo much the fwifter, and 
 the more penetrating, and we but the 
 more fitted to fuffer under it, by oui 
 being dif-jncumbred from prefent grofi 
 matter 5 and the horrible dread of that 
 whole world will rife up againft u< 
 with more immediate impreflion. 
 
 But to him that is reconciled to Goc 
 by Jefus Chrift, all things in Heavet 
 " are reconciled alfo, and he paife 
 through thofe Hofts, as a man tha 
 partes through the molt terrible Ar 
 mics, under the prote&ionof theCe 
 neral, or as a ftranger through foreigi 
 
 Countrie 
 
m\)t ©?eat ®oul of ^am 57 
 
 Countries, with the efpecial gracious 
 Convoy of the Prince, nay higher 
 than thus, as a particular Favourite, 
 and Friend of the Prince. 
 
 Now there is an Order of thefe Inr 
 vifible Beings moft blefled : God the 
 happy , and only Potentate , Jefa 
 Chrifl, God over all blejfed for ever, the 
 Angels of Glory, the bleffed Saints. 
 There is higheft and trueft bleffednefi 
 mod certainly to be found among 
 them, nor are they the lefs, but, the 
 more happy, for being invifible, nor 
 is their happinefs therefore fantaftick, 
 aiery, or not folid, becaufe not feen. 
 
 For (b fine, and pure, as not to be 
 feen, and yet to be, gives the great- 
 eft prefumption of the vividnefs and 
 power of any thing, that can be gi- 
 ven of it : the quickeft motions are 
 too quick for fight, and the life of 
 difcourfe is not that which the ear 
 hears, differing nothing from common 
 found, but that which the mind per- 
 ceives. 
 
 Beings invifible do not know one 
 another lefs than men in Bodies, but 
 the moft quick communications pafs 
 between them. Invifibility is but a 
 juftdiftance from Senfe, as greatneii 
 D 3 retires 
 
$& %$t ®wt ©oul of 39atn 
 
 retires and referves it (elf from vulgar 
 eyes, and every days fight, that it 
 jaay be more adored at folemn times 
 of appearance 5 Chrift attending up 
 into his glory, a Cloud received him 
 out of their fight, but as the Apoftle 
 fpeaks of him, fo we may fay of the 
 i Tim. 6. whole ftate of Invisible Things } That 
 **- in his time he will foew him and them 
 
 who is the only blejjed Potentate y he 
 will Jherv them in fuch reprefentations 
 as are proper to them, fome fully pot 
 feffing the mind, fome filling the very 
 Senfe, as it (hall be heightened and ex- 
 alted by the Refurre&ion, of which 
 the glorious Body of Chrift (hall be 
 the fupreme Objeft. 
 
 How earneft then (hould we be 
 in feeking a communion in this blef- 
 fednefs? in laying hold upon this eter- 
 nal' life .<? in feeing honour ', glory ', im- 
 mortality, while w.eare in the world ? 
 not in the lead diffwaded, that they 
 are not (een, but looking the more 
 earneftly upon them by faith, becaufe 
 they are nat like the things that pro- 
 phane Senfe every day blows upon 3 
 and are therefore continually perifh- 
 ing: for being fo dull and gro(s as to 
 be feen 5 they are alfo of a compofiti- 
 
 on 
 
tl&e <85jeat ©oul of £)atn 39 
 
 on diflblvable, and apt to flye in pie- 
 ces 3 whereas eternal things^ vvhofe 
 nature is purer, are not expofed to 
 common eyes. This is indeed Chri- 
 fiianity^ while we look not upon the 2 Cor - 4« 
 things that are feen, hut upon the 
 things that are not feen^ for the things 
 which are feen^ are hut for a moment^ 
 but the things which are not feen^ are 
 eternal. 
 
 But as there is a blefled and happy 
 order of invijible Beings^ fo there is 
 an Order of Beings invijible, raoft 
 wretched and miferable, the Devil^ 
 and his Angels, and wicked men 
 damned to their fellowftip. How black 
 is this ftate ? How dreadful is the 
 wrath and mifery of their punifh- 
 roent? It is like the ftroke of light- 
 ning, fooner felt than ften, and the 
 deftruclion that is the effeft of it, 
 greater, deeper, more fudden and uni- 
 verfal, and leaving more dread behind 
 it, than thofe things that work by 
 the light and leifure of fenfes cogni- 
 fance and obfervation. 
 
 If any ihould think there wants evi- 
 dence of thefc things, let him think 
 alfo, it may not be the want of evi- 
 dence, but the want of our fuitednefi 
 D 4 to 
 
4© Cfce ©|eat ©oul or £)am 
 
 to them : It is becaufe the Soul is fwal- 
 lowed up of Senfe, that any man 
 wants evidence $ and we are angry, 
 that we cannot by Senfe comprehend 
 things, that are not related to it, but 
 are nearly allyed to underftanding, to 
 Faith. 
 
 Many things give full fatisfaftion of 
 themfelves to learned men, yet can 
 offer none to men unlearned 5 fo do 
 thefe objefts difplay themfelves with 
 great tlearnefs to men of purified 
 minds, that cannot make themfelves 
 known to Souls plunged down into 
 Senfe, and the thick matter. The 
 beft expedient for the cure of fuch 
 men, is firft to believe the affertions 
 jpf men of refined minds, inviting o- 
 thers to what themfelves have found, 
 and then to receive the aflurance,that 
 will arife from their own compliance 
 With, and experience of divine things. 
 But further, we want moft the pre- 
 valency of what we believe, rather 
 than meerly belief: we may be more 
 ftrongly perfwaded of this invifible 
 world, than we know our felves to 
 be 5 yet by reafon of the great unapt- 
 nefs of the flelhly ftate, in regard of 
 mind adhering fo to it, the confide- 
 ntial} 
 
€fje ©teat ©oul of ©an. 41 
 
 ration hath not the force anfwerable 
 to the belief, becaufe it is fuppreffed, 
 and the want of force in the belief 
 leffens our feeling of the belief, which 
 we indeed have, and muft have, the 
 principle of it being united with our 
 very Souls. 
 
 Having now afferted that there is 
 an order of invifible Beings, and that 
 the Soul is fuch a one, I come in the 
 next place to call them Spirits, and fo 
 to treat of the Soul as a spirit. 
 
 There need be no contention about 
 the word, Spirit, it being but a word 
 or name chofen to exprefs the notion 
 men have in all times had of thefe in- 
 fenfible and immaterial Beings, which 
 they have made eafie to themfelves, 
 and others, by whatever among fenfi- 
 ble natures is mod fubtile and fine,and 
 had leaft of the courfnefs and thick- 
 nefs of matter, as Breath, Wind, Air. 
 This way of expreffing thefe Beings 
 hath been common to Language in ge- 
 neral, and particularly to Scripture, 
 which attributes to God, that he is a 
 Spirit, and to Angels and the Souls of 
 men under him. 
 
 And yet it may without injury to the 
 caufe be granted^ that this name may 
 
 not 
 
42 C&e ffipat ©oui of $>atn 
 
 not have been original to thefe na- 
 tures^ but derived from thofe things 
 that have been more removed from 
 Senfe, than others, and from thence 
 transferred to the mod excellent part 
 of the Temperament, or whatever is 
 molt vigorous in any Being, and yet 
 kaft under the cognifance of Senfe, 
 and fo at laft afcribed to Beings, fup- 
 pofed to be wholly removed from 
 Senfe } and all this doth but ft ill en- 
 lighten the main notion of a Spirit 5 for 
 hereby it was intended to reprefent 
 them in their native purity, and repa- 
 ration from Body, by thofe things 
 that had lead of the dregginefs of 
 matter, and yet were well known 5 
 fo comprehending at once both their 
 fpirituality and reality } their fpiritu- 
 ality, exprefiing them by things moft 
 refined 5 their reality, in that thofe 
 things, how fine foever, were yet fuf- 
 ficiently known to be, and to be of 
 greateft reality and efFeft. 
 
 Hereunto may be reduced the men- 
 Ecd.3.21. tion Scripture makes of the Spirit of a 
 Beaji : Touching which, leaving to 
 Philofophical Difputes the abftrufity 
 of its nature, (whether it be the high- 
 eft of material, or loweft of fpiritual 
 
 natures) 
 
C&e #?eat ®cul o( $)am 43 
 
 natures) I only obferve, It deferves 
 not the name of a Spirit, in compare 
 with the Soul of man 5 in that it is 
 mod evident the Scripture (peaks no- 
 thing of its likenefs to God, power of 
 Reafon, moral a&ion, or immortality 5 
 but degrades it from thefe, when it 
 lays, while the Spirit of a man goes 
 upward , the Spirit of a Beajl goes 
 downward^ (that is) as it is prepared 
 for lowed ufes } fo its ftate, motion, 
 and laft reft, are altogether here below$ 
 and therefore it cannot correfpond, in 
 what is now to be fpoken of a Spirit : 
 yetbecaufe it extends it (elf to adtions 
 beyond the meafure of other materi- 
 al Beings, unaccountably to Senfe, it 
 is called a Spirit^ and yields light alfo 
 to the general notion of a Spirit, 
 and (hews the infinite Wifdom, and 
 Architecture of the Author of all 
 created Beings, who formed thefe Spi- 
 rits fo as to excel the poffibilities of 
 matter, (Tuppofing they do excel 
 them J fo little, as to be difputed with 
 fome appearance of Reafon, whether 
 they are any more than matter mecha- 
 nized with higheft and moft curious 
 skill, (that is to fay J the handy-work 
 of God in matter? 
 
 But 
 
44 <E&e <85?eac ©oul of $)am 
 
 But to return, Whatever can be 
 fpoken in relation only to the word, 
 Spirits of fmaller moment 3 the great- 
 eft concern is, what is intended by it ? 
 Whether it be no more, than a meer 
 mode, notion, or manner of fpeaking 
 ufed to exprefs the lively Tempera- 
 ment, vigour, or force of a Body on- 
 ly ? Or whether it mean a fubftance 
 of an excellent nature, diftintt, andft- 
 parate from a Body ? 
 
 In anfwer to which, That the gene- 
 rality of thofe that have or do ufethis 
 word, Spirit, concerning the Soul of 
 man, have, and do underftand it in 
 this latter Senle, is of very little di- 
 fpute $ and that the Scriptures do, as 
 much as words or expreffions can do, 
 to aflbre us they mean fo alfo, I (hall 
 endeavour to make good by obferving 
 what the Scriptures fay concerning 
 
 1. The original of mans Soul, and 
 its firft entrance into the Body. 
 
 2. What expreffions it makes ufe 
 of, to (hew the diftin&ion of the Soul 
 from the Body, while in it. 
 
 3. How it expreffes its diftin&ion 
 from Body, and feparation from it in 
 death. 
 
 for the firft, The original of mans 
 
 Soul 
 
tEfce ®?eat Soul of 99am 45 
 
 «sW/we muft have recourfe to the Gcn 
 Hiftory of mans Creation, and we (hall 2 6. ' 
 find, that the wifdom of Scripture Geaa.7. 
 puts a great difference between the 
 Creation of man , and the other Crea- 
 tures of life: in that God confults,and 
 refolves to make him in his own Image 
 and likenefs^ and by an immediate 
 hand firft builds a Body, as a recepta- 
 cle for the life he intended him, and 
 when his Body was framed, raifed, 
 and contrived with all its organs, offi- 
 ces, and minifteries, fo that there want- 
 ed nothing that fhould complete and 
 fum up the perfection of a Body, he 
 breathed into his noftrils the Breath of 
 Life^ and from that breathing of God 
 he became a living Soul A Soul li- 
 ving that life that proceeded from 
 himfelf, a life that proceeded from 
 God, and entered into that prepared 
 Body, and quickened it} whereas 
 God only commanded the Earth, and 
 it brought forth every other living 
 Things That, and its life together. The 
 Command of God impregnated the 
 Earth, and then, as at once, it brought 
 forth the living Creature, and its life 5 
 fo that in the creation of this lower 
 life, and the fubjefts of it, there ap- 
 pears 
 
4* tCfte ®?eat ©oul of #am 
 
 pears nothing of that method, and fa* 
 lemn order, obferved in mans creati- 
 on, nor did the Breath of God paft 
 into them, as it did into man, when it 
 filled all the feveral organs and inftru- 
 ments of the Humane Body, with the 
 motions proper to a Body, and fuch a 
 Body} and which is far beyond all 
 this, The fame Breath of God gives 
 man Reafbn and underftanding, as we 
 have already expounded this Breath 
 out ofElihus words, and as he fpeaks 
 in another place 5 The Spirit of God 
 made him, and the Breath of the Al- 
 mighty gave him life. This infpira- 
 tion of the Almighty comprehends 
 this lower life in man, that fenfitive 
 Beings live, and that yet higher life 
 of Religion, and obedience to the 
 Creator, with which Body hath leaft 
 to do. 
 
 For in the very Creation God put 
 Wifdom into the inward parti, and 
 gave under/landing to the heart 5 and 
 by the word of Creation he faid to 
 man, The fear of the Lord that is wif- 
 dom, and to depart from evil that is 
 nnderjlanding. That is, As God crea- 
 ted all things by faying Let it Be, and 
 pronouncing it good b in confirmation 
 
 of 
 
Z$t &?eat ©oul of ©an* 47 
 
 of his Creation 5 fo he faid to man, by 
 implanting it in his heart, and appro- 
 ving it for very good y The fear of the Job 28.28 
 Lord that is wifdom^ and to depart 
 from evil that is underftanding. 
 
 As in the univerfal Creation, he fam 
 and declared^ he prepared and fearch* 
 ed out wifdom 2, that is, he found out T,27# 
 within his own underftanding, fit na- 
 tures for all things. This was his pre- 
 paring and fe arching out wifdom, and 
 then he gave the proper natures he 
 had defigned, that was his declaring 
 wifdom 5 thus at the lame time he both 
 made up the beauty of the Univerfe, 
 and proclaimed his own infinite un- 
 derftanding. 
 
 And fo particularly in the frame of 
 marr, he was infinitely wife, forming 
 man into the propriety of fuch a na- 
 ture, as man fhould be, that is a Soul, 
 whole perfe&ion it (hould be to fear 
 God, and to depart from evil, that 
 was made with a power to do fo upon 
 Reafon, and Counfel, in which at once 
 the wifdom of God the original wi£ 
 dom, and the wifdom of man the de- 
 rivative wifdom to be always con- 
 formed to that exemplar fliiae forth 
 together, the created in fubordina- 
 
 tion 
 
48 W)t ©?eat <Soul of *Datt. 
 
 tion to the increated. Of all which 
 Body is altogether infenfible and ut- 
 terly incapable. In the original there- 
 fore of man, there is according to 
 Scripture a clear diftin&ion betwixt 
 Spirit and Body. 
 
 2. That the Scripture doth plainly 
 own the diftinftion of the Soul from 
 the Body, in a ftate of conjunction 
 with it, I argue efpecially from the 
 powers of mind, and the a&ions of 
 thofe powers, wherein are laid, and 
 to which are dire&ed continually all 
 the Difcourfes, and thofe preffing 
 Reafonings, Exhortations, Admoni- 
 tions, and Reproofs, we find in (acred 
 Writings. Thefe powers according 
 to the universal fpeech of mankind, 
 it calls VnderJianding^F acuity of Red- 
 fon, Conference, Judgment } and the 
 adions proceeding from thefe it names 
 Thought, Apprehenfion, or Percei- 
 ving, 'Confideration, Reafoning, Ac- 
 cufation, and Apologie or Defence of 
 Confcience. Judging of Things, and all 
 thefe powers working out into thefe 
 afts, it comprehends in this word, the 
 Spirit of man, and unites thefe afts 
 with it, fpeaking of thefe powers, as 
 the Eflence of a man, and of the a&s, 
 
 as 
 
€$e ©?eat Soul of Sgtom 49 
 
 as moft connatural to that Eflence, to • 
 which alfo every mans knowledge and 
 feeling within himfelf give as clear 
 teftimony, and as full as the parts of 
 Body give of themfelves to Senfe, For 
 the Spirit of a man knows the things 
 of a man within him. 
 
 Now it is plain 5 All thefe things 
 are moft improper to Body, or fo 
 much as a brutal Spirit, efpecially, 
 when they lift up themfelves to the 
 •fenfe of a God, and extend themfelves 
 to religious concernments, when they 
 receive thofe high propolals of the 
 Gofpel, and Myfteries, that lye out 
 of the whole region of Senfe} fo that 
 though the organs and inftruments of 
 the body are fbmetimes fpoken o£ 
 and to, in thele cafes, yet it is only 
 Upon this account, becaufe they are 
 fuch, as by which the mind a&s, Or 
 are fymbols and repreferitations of 
 this rational ferife and motion. 
 
 Thefe things being then fo well 
 known, and every where met with ih 
 infpired Writings, they are as great 
 a demonftration of their confcioufnefs 
 to another greater and more excellent 
 Being in man than Body, as can be 
 required, feeing Body hath no fitnefs 
 E nor 
 
so C&e ©jeat fcoul of *3©atn 
 
 nor poffible fublimation to thefe 
 things, that Scripture fo wholly in- 
 fifts upon in relation to man. 
 
 There rouft be therefore another 
 man, a more excellent man within, or 
 elfe all thus fpoken mult have been in 
 vain 5 fuch powers and aftions cannot 
 be afcribed originally to the moft ex- 
 cellent temper of Body, or Tune of 
 motions, but muft have a proper and 
 peculiar fubftance to refide in, and 
 that, whatever any one elfe will call 
 it,is that,Scripture and common (peak- 
 ing calls Spirit. 
 
 And this being fo plain and clear, 
 and of fo general confent, the Scrip- 
 ture without any induftry, as in a 
 cafe prefumed, fpeaks of Spirit as one 
 i Theff.$, thing, and Body as another, diftri- 
 butes man into Body, Soul, and Spirit. 
 Body is well enough known, Soul is 
 either Spirit, as it contains within it 
 felf the faculties of fenfitive nature, 
 and takes the Government of them 
 upon it felf, and the care and feeling 
 of things that concern Body, and the 
 life of it} or as it moves in the moft 
 excellent parts of Body, that mediate 
 betwixt body and mind, and are fitteft 
 for the more immediate motions of 
 
 Spirit 
 
 n 
 
Wd* 6jeat %ml of $)atn 5 * 
 
 Spirit in Body, and fo called Spirits. 
 Spirit is pure mind, exalted to its own 
 obje&s, and thehigheft ofthofeob- 
 jeds, Divine Things. 
 
 This Spirit is that Inward Man ho- 2 Cor§ - 
 ly Writing fpeaks of, renewed and re- i^. 
 paired every day, not in its fubftantial 
 nature, but in gracious and heaven- 
 ly qualities, of which it is the only 
 refidence and receipt, and which are 
 its true health and ftrength. 
 
 Laftly, In this diftinftion of Soul 
 and Body, is founded that excellent 
 difcourfe of the Apoftle, Rom. 8. 5, 
 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1. of Being in the flefh, 
 and in the Spirit, of being carnally 
 minded, or of the carnal mind, and 
 of being fpiritually minded, or of the 
 Jpiritual mind. 
 
 By which on one fide he defcribes 
 this mind allured* and drawn dowrt 
 to Body and Flefh, which comes to 
 paft firft through nearnefs to Body, 
 and clofefl: fympathy with all thofe 
 natural and fenfitive motions, which 
 it (elf infpires Body with, but chief- 
 ly by degeneracy, the Soul comes to 
 feel it felf, and places its enjoyments 
 wholly in flefh, and makes that the 
 Center of its reigning paffions and 
 E 2 affefti- 
 
5 1 Hlje #*eat Soul of $tetu 
 
 affe&ions, and fo it felf becomes 
 .carnal and fenfual, and cannot pleafe 
 God. 
 
 On the other fide is described Mind 
 lifted up above Body, and out of Flefh 
 by Grace and the Divine Spirit, to an 
 infeparable adherence to God and 
 Chrift, and eternal things 3 to which 
 it advances its own motions in Body 
 alfb, presenting them a living and ac- 
 ceptable Sacrifice $ which is the ratio- 
 nalfervice of a man, confifting of Soul 
 and Body: Thus the Flefh and the 
 Heart together cry out for the living 
 God 3 In the mean time this Spirit of 
 the mind fubdues and reftrains its own 
 motions, arifing from unholy Bodily 
 inclination and affe&ion. 
 
 Now to be carnally minded is death \ 
 The mind unpurged and glued to Bo- 
 dy, dyes in that (enfe a Spirit can dye, 
 that is, a death of feparation from 
 God, and deprivation of Divine Beau- 
 ty and Happinefs$ and the Body, 
 whofe miniftery it ufes, and makes it 
 the feat of its carnal pleafures and fen- 
 fualities, perifhes alfo, leaving no par- 
 tible (atisfaftion any longer from them 3 
 and yet that Body, becaufe it was the 
 Body of that unpurged Soul, and re- 
 tains 
 
U&e ©if at ©oul of gtem 5 3 
 
 tains its order to it, remains guilty 
 and foul duft, and rifes again fo, that 
 the Soul may fufFer, and its mifery 
 may be feen in a Body, even as it fin- 
 ned in Body, which is the (econd 
 death. 
 
 Bat to be fpiritually minded is lift 
 And peace : For Mind renewed, and 
 made the habitation of the Holy Spi- 
 rit, and its righteoufnefs, cannot it 
 felf dye, no not as Spirits dye, be- 
 caufe of that blefled and immortal al- 
 ly ance, for it lives in the enjoyment 
 of God, likenefs to him, lively moti-r 
 ons of it felf in all goodnefs and blef- 
 fednefi. 
 
 And though the Body is dead, that 
 is, is under the (entence of death, to 
 be unavoidably fulfilled in the fepara- 
 tion of the Soul from the Body, upon 
 which the Body becomes a dead lump 5 
 and further it muft dye, that the Soul 
 may obtain a perfeft purification from 
 fin, which it cannot have while ce- 
 mented with Body, fin being fo lodg- 
 ed in that Cement, that there can be 
 no perfeft purification, till that Ce- 
 ment be diflblved $ Then when that 
 Cement is diflblved, the feparated 
 Soul becomes perft& Spirit and Di- 
 E 3 vine. 
 
54 fctfe ®?cat ©ou\ of $)atn 
 
 ai/ze, through the almighty efficacy of 
 the Divine Spirit reliant in it,, and 
 bearing it up to the perfection of the 
 Divine life for ever. Thus the Spirit 
 is life, becanfe of right eoufwfs.< And 
 if the Spirit of him that raifed up jfe- 
 fits from the dead dwell in you, he 
 that raifed up Jefus from the dead 
 fliall alfo quicken your mortal bodies 
 by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 
 That is, The Body, that was the habi- 
 tation of the Spirit, or Soul renewed, 
 and purged from fin, ( that Spirit or 
 Soul being it felf the habitation of the 
 Divine Spirit^) this Body, becaufe it 
 hath ftill a relation to fuch a Soul 
 lofts its finful taint, while it flipulders 
 into duft, and is raifed a Body incor- 
 ruptible and fpiritual, that is, a habit 
 tation fit for the Spirit nbw made 
 perfeB, and is filled thereby with the 
 glory of life and immortality; which 
 is eternal life, and all by virtue of that 
 Divine Spirit, that dwelt in that. Soul, 
 while it was lodged and dwelt in that 
 Eody. 
 
 And herein lying the true fubftan- 
 tial fenfe of this moft weighty Para- 
 graph of the Apoftle, how plainly 
 doth it expreft the diftinftion of the 
 
 Soul 
 
tt&e ©jeaf ©oul of $)an. 5 5 
 
 Soul from the Body, and that the Soul 
 is a fubftance of it felf, independent 
 upon Body, and Body altogether de- 
 pendent upon it, even while it ismofl: 
 immers'd into Body ? 
 
 For firft, The Soul it felf gives all 
 the life to its own impure pleafures, 
 and finful repofes in bodily delights, 
 to which elfe Body is able to contri- 
 bute no more, than Oyl to the Flame, 
 which of it felf we know always lyes 
 ftill and dark. 
 
 2. Spirit it (elf affifted by Grace, 
 retires into fpiritual enjoyments, and 
 quenches and dryes up its own fenfu- 
 al affeftions to Body, and blafts the 
 fatisfa&ions received from chence,even 
 before that Oyl be wafted by the de- 
 cays of Body, or dryed up by death. 
 
 Laftly, It fe]f carries its own fate, 
 ("if I may fo call it) and the fate of the 
 Body along with it into eternity 5 for 
 according to what the Soul it felf is, 
 fois its own happinefs or mifery, and 
 the Body of neceffity follows its con- 
 dition 3 (b that it felf is plainly All^ 
 and the Body only a Cypher attend- 
 ing the ftate of this principal Figure. 
 
 3. The diftinftion of spirit and 
 Body in death is conveyed to us in 
 
 E 4 very 
 
5 6 W& ##»* ©oul of gtan* 
 
 very plain and eafie terms, and fuch 
 as carry their meaning very open, if 
 , not difturbed and prevented by ill in- 
 terpretation : Let us take a view of 
 the clearnefs of Scripture herein. 
 
 Firft, Solomon in bis Ecclejiaftes ha- 
 ving confidered withfome pamonand 
 vehemency, the little or no apparent 
 preheminence of men above Beafts in 
 their death, that as one dies fo dies 
 the other, they (end out one common 
 vital breath, and go all to one place, 
 he then cafts the account of this into 
 the common heap of vanity , and comes 
 Eccl.3.21. to a very warm enquiry, who kpoweth 
 the Spirit of a man that goes upward^ 
 and the Spirit of a Beaji that goes- 
 downward .<? Yet thereby refblving the 
 main cafe enough, viz. that thefe out- 
 ward appearances laid fo much to dis- 
 advantage, are but only in the Body 
 and outfide, the difference between 
 the Spirit of a man and the Spirit of a 
 Beaft is ftill very great, as great as be- 
 tween Heaven and Earth, and the mo- 
 tion as contrary, when they dye, as up- 
 ward and downward 5 but ftill he 
 complains, that this is not poffible to 
 be feen by $enfe, and there are very 
 few that reach it to any purpofe by 
 
 Reafon 
 
G$e tfjeat ©oul of ®an* 57 
 
 Reafon and Religion 5 and this (faith 
 he J is one of the great points of the 
 vanity of all worldly condition, that 
 both fo great a principle of Truth,and 
 fo great a dignity of Humane Nature, 
 fhouldlye fo far off, be fo indifcerna- 
 ble: Here is then an equality in the 
 outfide or Bodies of men a dying and 
 Beads, but a great inequality or ex- 
 cellency of men above Beafts, which 
 comes home to what we are aflerting. 
 
 And thus Solomon underftood of the 
 Spirit of a man, as is now explained, 
 he makes us more certain, when after 
 his travel over all things, he comes to 
 defcribe man in his end, and does it 
 thus, TheDufi returning to the Earth Ecd.12.7, 
 as it was, and the Spirit returns to 
 God that gave it, he allots to the fe- 
 veral parts, into which he diftributes 
 jman, a feveral motion, and a feveral 
 reft, according to the feveral origi- 
 nals of each 5 The Duft or Body returns 
 to the Earth from whence it was taken, 
 the Spirit furvives and hajiens bacl^ 
 to God that gave it. 
 
 Agreeably the care of holy men at 
 death, or in any great apprehenfions 
 of danger, that prefented death to 
 them, was to commend their Spirit to 
 
 God, 
 
5 8 t8#e ©?eat ©oul of $)am 
 
 Pftl.31.5. ^^ as Davids Into thy hand I com- 
 mend my Spirit 5 which words were 
 prophetick of the dying words of our 
 
 L j! c - *§• Saviour, Father ', into thy hand I com- 
 mend my Spirit: and thus Stephen 
 
 Afts 7.59- breathed out his Soul, Lord Jefus re- 
 ceive my Spirit. Now in that Solomon 
 affirms of the Spirit of man in general, 
 that it returns to God the Judge of ah \ 
 whether it be the fpirit of a good 
 man or a bad man, or whether it be 
 for happinels or mifery, and that 
 thereupon holy perfons recommend- 
 ed their Souls into the hands of God, 
 as a faithful Creator, I know not 
 how any thing can be more determi- 
 native of the diftin&ion of Body and 
 Soul in death. 
 
 For fuch words are not words of 
 meer refignation of life back again to 
 the Fountain of Life, but an entruft- 
 ment and dependent recommendati- 
 on, and not of a life to be fecured 
 only, for the Refurreftion, but of a 
 Spirit immediately going to God 5 for 
 elfe they might, with as much care, 
 have committed Body to him, who 
 weighs the dufi of the Earth in a Bal- 
 lance, much more that of the Bodies 
 of men, whom he will raife again, 
 
 moft 
 
C&e fl5?eat ©oul of 3©am 5 9 
 
 moft of all that of his Saints, which he 
 will raife to glory. 
 
 If there were not fuch an immedi- 
 ate return of good mens Spirits to 
 God, why doth the Apojik chufe to be Phi!. 1^5. 
 dijfohed, or Jet at liberty, that he 
 might be with Chrift? Or why doth 
 he profefs in the name of Chiutians in 
 general} roe desire rather to be abfent aCor.$.* 
 from y than at home in the body, that 
 rver might be prefent with the Lord £ 
 What tolerable account can be given 
 of fuch fpeeches } for what composi- 
 tion is it, that fufFers diffolution, that 
 fome part (and what part is that >) 
 might have immediate being with 
 Chrift? Or, who is it that would be 
 fet at liberty ? Or that is abfent from 
 the body, or at home in it, if not 
 this fupreme man the Soul? Or, why 
 fbould death be preferred for the fake 
 of a nearer and more immediate pre- 
 fence with Chrift, if all the man dye 
 with the body ? Or, what man is it that 
 the Apoflle fpeaks o^ caught up into the 
 third Heaven^nd makes a doubt, whe- 
 ther in the body or out of it .<? Or, how 
 could there be luch a being in the body, 
 or out of the Body, if the body were 
 all, if there were nothing but body? 
 
 Or 
 
IMC. 1 2^ 
 
 60 c&e ®?eat ©oul of $tem 
 
 Or laftly, why doth our Saviour am- 
 plifie the dread of the vengeance of 
 God upon man, above theirs that kill 
 the body, and have no more that they 
 can do, whereas the hand of God de- 
 stroys both body and foul in Hell. 
 
 For let it be expounded to the 
 greateft advantage of the opinion, 
 that encounters the Souls immortality, 
 viz. That our Saviour intends no 
 more, than that mans killing the bo- 
 dy is infinitely left, than Gods de- 
 Jiroying that Body and its whole life 
 in Hell, though after many Ages : Yet 
 it is obfervable in the firft place, our 
 Saviour to imprint the fear of Divine 
 Revenges, places them not only upon 
 the Body, but upon the Soul, as a 
 diftinft and greater part of man than 
 body. 
 
 2. And beyond this our Saviour 
 plainly aims at the great odds there is, 
 betwixt a hand that can execute no 
 further than dying once, and in the 
 body only, and that almighty hand 
 that fends down the Soul to Hell im- 
 mediately, and the Body at the Day 
 of Judgment. For he implies, a man 
 eafily flips from mans feverity by death, 
 for he may yet live and be happy in 
 
 his 
 
«fce «5?eat fi&oul of $9am 61 
 
 his Soul prefently, and in his Body at 
 the Refurre&ion } but death can give 
 no efcape from the ftroke of God, 
 either to the Soul, which incontinent- 
 ly falls under it, nor to the Body awa- 
 kened hereafter to endure it. 
 
 Now I know it is poffible for Serpen- 
 tine wits to glide off from thefe, and 
 many the like proofs of Scripture, 
 that might be produced, for their way 
 of elufion is very wonderful, like that 
 of Solomons Serpent upon a Roc^^ 
 that winding every way, yet leaves 
 no track of folid Reafon behind it 5 
 but yet I affirm, that fuch concurrent 
 Teftimonies of Scripture are fo con- 
 clufive, that no fober confideration 
 can efcape from them 5 unto which 
 revealed Truth is alfb to be annexed 
 Reafon it felfi teaching us, as I have 
 already urged, the effe&s of a Soul 
 are too great to be afcribed to any 
 power of Body, and therefore, feeing 
 every Effeft muft have an equal Caufe, 
 it is a high juftification of the affer- 
 tion of a Spirit, towhichthofeeffe&s 
 may be duly and worthily afcribed. 
 
 And therefore I (hall further adven- 
 ture to avouch from Scripture, that 
 the Soul is fo much the Man^ that it 
 
 feath 
 
62 tEfce ©?eat Soul of $9am 
 
 hath the compleat fubftantial effence 
 of a man fo far in it fel£ that in com- 
 panion of it, the body is but prepa- 
 red for afenfiblewode or reprefentati- 
 on, in which the Soul is to aft, and 
 (hew, and illuftrate it felf, vifibly and 
 (enfibly, and that man might thereby 
 become of the order of the fenfible 
 and vifible worlds beholding and 
 judging by the miniftery of fenfitive 
 organs, of the beauty, excellent ar- 
 ray and variety of bodies in this Crea- 
 tion, and himfelf appear the princi- 
 pal of them } but retaining ftill a 
 higher and nearer relation to the /«- 
 vifible worlds to God, to the ftate 
 and life of Angels, fo that without 
 any prejudice to his main being, he 
 may be removed out of the body thi- 
 ther, and yet ftill be himfelf, as to 
 all the chief intehts and purpofes of 
 his Creation, and continue fo, till in 
 the reftitutionof all things, and the 
 manifeftation either of the goodnefs 
 or feverity of God, after the manner 
 of the (enfible and vifible Creation, 
 that is, in fuch a plain way, as feeing 
 and knowing things by fenfe, men be 
 again fet out by God in a bodily 
 fchemc or fafhion at the Refurreftion, 
 
 fo 
 
fo that the Body it (hall then have, 
 (hall more compliably wait upon all 
 the ftate and motions of the Souls 
 happinefs or mifery. 
 - The Soul then only vifibly (hews it 
 felf now in a body, and is fubmitted 
 to be in it 5 but when it goes out of 
 the body, it wants nothing through 
 the whole time of its reparation, that 
 it had here, but only the apparence 
 of its motions in a body, nor hath 
 any thing added to it, when it is 
 cloathed with a body at the Refurre- 
 ftion, but an opportunity for its glo* 
 ry or mifery to be ften fenfibly. 
 
 Even as Cod was excellent and per- 
 fect in himfelf from eternity, when 
 there was no Creation, or any befide 
 himfelf, nor received he any thing, 
 or found any addition to himfelf by 
 the Creation, for all things that he 
 made,received their All from him 3 but 
 only he hath illuftrated and manifeft- 
 ed himfelf in the Creation, and the 
 Creatures do no more than {hew the 
 power, wifdom, and goodnefs of God 
 in creating, preferving, and govern- 
 ing them. 
 
 After the fame manner, (Co far as 
 we may with reverence compare any 
 
 of 
 
64 H$t ®mt @oul of ®an. 
 
 of the Creatures with the infinitely 
 excelling Creator J the Soul receives 
 nothing from the Body, or any of the 
 parts of it, but only fiich organs and 
 inftruments which it is to infpire, go- 
 vern, and rule, and thereby to fhew 
 its efficacy, vigour, and great endow- 
 ments of underftanding and virtue, for 
 all motions from the higheft to the 
 loweft derive from the Soul. 
 
 But as to the prefent cafe, That the 
 Soul falls in love with its felf, as dwel- 
 ling in body, and with its lower mo- 
 tions in it, and forgets its own proper 
 and higher motions of immediate con- 
 verfes with holinefi and true wifdom, 
 and that rule of body committed to 
 it, according to thefe Laws 5 this is 
 only its fin, weakneft, degeneracy, 
 and fall, as of a created add mutable 
 Being placed in a body. 
 
 All motions and appetites, that we 
 call in ordinary (peaking, motions of 
 bpdy, and flefiily appetites, are not 
 any thing that body can firft proffer 
 to the Soul, but thofe that the Soul 
 communicates firft, by that univerfal 
 life and motion it gives to body 5 and 
 then derives from its own communi- 
 cations, the pleafure that it felf finds 
 from it felf in body. Yet 
 
C&e ©?eat «dul of $^aru 6$ 
 
 Yet is not the Souls good or ill ma- 
 nagement of Body all its holinefs or 
 Gn$ there are many a&s Co retired, 
 that body (hares not in their praife 
 or guilt : The Soul in fuch adfo of 
 goodnels is like God and good An- 
 gels, as if it had nobody, and as un- 
 concerned in this world, as God in 
 his own immanent perfe&ions and 
 aftions. On the other fide, wicked 
 men are in fome wicked aftions alone, 
 as it were from the body, like Devils 
 and damned Spirits, thofe fpiritual 
 wickedne£es the Apoftle fpeaks of, 
 exercifed mfpiritual Impurities. 
 
 But to return , The Souls afting 
 and taking care of the body is but an 
 inferiour and under-partof itsadmini- 
 ftration, and is for that higher end, 
 that there might be an image and like- 
 nefs of God imprinted upon a body, 
 and fenfibly feen in it, by virtue of 
 the Souls afting holily in and upon it. 
 This is the higheft and mofk excellent 
 p • rt of its Government, & the pleafure 
 it takes in the lower, (hould be but an 
 imitation of the Lord taking pleafure 
 in his lower works, who is never the 
 left fpiritual, heavenly, and divine,for 
 running through and governing the 
 F whole 
 
66 C&e ©?eat ©oul of $)aiu 
 
 whole world of matter, and rejoicing 
 in his doings therein 5 but is always 
 in the perfeft purity of his own Attri- 
 butes, and guides all things according 
 to them- But contrary-wife, if the 
 Soul makes its lower and lefs noble 
 functions its principal and fupreme, 
 and inftead of moving the body ratio- 
 nally and religioufly, by it felf conti- 
 nuing fpiritual and intelle&ual, it 
 chiefly attends to, and interefts it felf 
 in its lower fenfitive motions, and fo 
 becomes carnal and fenfual 5 this is its 
 great fall into fin and mifery : yet ftill 
 it retains its prerogative of nature, it 
 is ftill thefource and life of all moti- 
 on,though finful} for body alone can- 
 not fin, nor any way can it be guilty, 
 but as the Souls body. 
 
 ihe Soul then is All, Thus it is now, 
 in the Pvefurre&ion it will be much 
 more fo, when the body is fo drawn 
 up into theftate of the mind, that the 
 mind hath no opportunity to be carnal 
 fn it and with it, becaufe it hath no 
 longer fuch a low body as this 3 for 
 even the bodies of miferable Spirits 
 .are in this part fo refined, that the Soul 
 can have none of its carnal delights in 
 them, which it had in thefe* 
 
 In 
 
tCDe ©?eat ©oul of 39atn 67 
 
 In that (pace of time then between 
 death and the Refurreftion, the Soul 
 muft needs be no lefs compleat in it 
 fcjfj for though it hath a fitnefs in it 
 to animate a body, yet that is as un- 
 neceflary to its abfolute perfe&ion, as 
 Gods aftual Creation and Govern- 
 ment of the world was to his power 
 and wifdom, whereby he created and 
 governs $ and although at the Refur- 
 reftion it appears in a body again, yet 
 this is from the ordination of God to 
 fct a beauty upon the vifible Creation, 
 in which he will then fully difplay 
 that part of his glory, in the glorious 
 body of his Son, and Saints conform- 
 ed to him, and fet out his juftice and 
 wrath vifibly alfo, in the dusky bo- 
 dies of thofe that rife to everlafting 
 (hame and contempt. 
 
 That the Soul thus feparated from 
 the body i9 thus perfedt, I argue from 
 that expreffion of our Saviour, that 
 they which are accounted worthy to oh- Luc. 20, 
 tain that world, and the refurreffion 35* 
 from the dead, neither marry ', nor are 
 given in marriage, but are like and 
 equal to the Angels } fo that though 
 the Soul hath a power to aft, order, 
 and guide the motions of fuch a body 
 F 2 as 
 
68 ta#e ®?eat ©oul of $3©atu 
 
 as it is joined to now, yet they are no 
 way neceffary to its true perfe&ion 5 
 for its higheft ftate of perfection even 
 in body is without the exercife of 
 fuch ads, viz. in the Refurre&ion. 
 And further, they that are equal to the 
 Angels,have no more need of a body, 
 than the Angels have $ that is, not as 
 to themfelves, or their own perfe&ion 5 
 but only to ferve the order of Divine 
 Wifdom, in the various difpofition of 
 the Creation, a body, and a body 
 fuited to this free and exalted ftate of 
 the Soul, is given to them. 
 
 Further, The perfection of the fe- 
 parated Soul may be argued from the 
 Apoftles dilcourfe of the fiat e of im- 
 mortality^ immediately entred into, 
 as (bon as ever the weak and cumber- 
 fbme Tabernacle of Earth is diffolved. 
 Through the gracious provifion of 
 God, the Soul is inverted with life 
 and immortality, and all the blefled- 
 ne(s-and entertainment of Heaven, as 
 the moft natural receptacle and be- 
 coming robes of good Spirits, with- 
 out whichthey would be naked 5 and 
 Souls not fo received, but left naked 
 of that bleffednels, are immediately 
 ftirowded in blacknefi and darknefs, 
 
 hellilh 
 
tl&e ©?eat Soul of S£am 69 
 
 hellifh blacknefs and darknefs. For 
 though Souls are indeed determined 
 by the righteous judiciary appoint- 
 ment of God, each fort to their own 
 place } yet the natures of thefe things 
 themfelves are fo wifely contrived, as 
 fairly to comply therewith : fo that 
 holy Souls uncloathed become Spirits 
 Divine, heavenly, and bleffed, but 
 Souls unpurged as foon become dark, 
 hellifh and miferable. 
 
 Now that happy Souls, immedi- 
 ately upon leaving the body, enter 
 into fuchaftate, is very plain, in that 
 they defire earneftly this ftate^ but if 
 for want of bodies they lay afleep, or 
 if being nothing but body, the whole 
 manftiould lye fo long ip the earth, as 
 till the Refurre&ion, it were a much 
 worfe ftate than the prefent, for the 
 time might be much better improved 
 in the World, than in the Grave, and 
 there would be no reafon to groan for 
 fo long and dark an interval, inftead 
 of a life of Grace, converfe with God, 
 and doing good in the world, which 
 is the life of holy men. 
 
 It may indeed be faid, It is fafer eve- 
 ry way to be laid up in the Grave, and 
 more quiet 5 and this interval is not 
 F 3 felt, 
 
70 tElje ©?eat ©oul of $)am 
 
 felt, nor perceived in the duft, but a 
 thouland years feem as (hort as an hour 5 
 now this is (b far from an anfwer, that 
 it tends to fubvert the great principle 
 of a future life, for ten thoufand Ages, 
 and an everlafting duration beyond 
 could as little be perceived ; There 
 
 t can be no complaint, that fo many 
 Ages of duration were run out, before 
 men, which lay out of life, came in- 
 to it, nor can there be any fenfe of 
 the want of life, where it was never 
 had 5 and in like manner, there can 
 be none by them that are quite gone 
 out of life. But if this way of reafon- 
 ing were good, it might be as well 
 for good men, if there were no Refar- 
 re&ion at all, for they that are thus 
 muffled up cannot make any appeals to 
 God for, nor fo much as know there 
 is reafon to defire, a Refarredtion, nor 
 refent the want of it, and fo would 
 
 * have no loft. But if good men fuffer 
 lofs in this total fuppreffion of life, 
 they muft fuffer proportionably in 
 thofe huge fpaces of death, the Saints 
 of God dying in the beginning of the 
 world have already, and are ftill to lye 
 under till the end of the world. 
 Further, This filence and interval 
 
 of 
 
U&e ©jeat Soul of $*am 7 * 
 
 of life is equal, fas to the cafe we are 
 now (peaking of) to Not Beings and 
 feems Co to obliterate all the former 
 ftate, and the good or evil done in it, 
 as to acquit and difcharge it, as if it 
 had never been, to thofe whole acti- 
 ons are (b quite broken off^ and fo 
 perfectly forgotten by themfelves 5 It % 
 is therefore certainly mod: agreeable 
 to Reafon, as well as Scripture, there 
 ihould be at leaft a continuation of 
 that fenfe and understanding we had 
 of our actions in this world, when we 
 are pafled out of it, whether in rela- 
 tion to happinefs or mifery, that all 
 (hould not begin anew in our acknow- 
 ledgment of them, and evil men that 
 have been fome thoufands of years out 
 of Being, as men,lhould yet be forced 
 to own thofe things they did fo long 
 ago, having alfo been ft) many other 
 things fince, in the various fhapes the 
 matter of their Bodies may eaiily have 
 been fuppofed to pafs into, and in 
 which they may have deferved better, 
 or at leaft been more innocent and 
 harmlefs } and if there be nothing 
 higher than that matter tuned to ra- 
 tional motion, (as men of this opini- 
 on fuppofe) we may eafily allow an 
 F 4 expi- 
 
f 2 Ci>e ®?eat <©oui of SDatu 
 
 expiation may have been made by 
 that fame matter for the offences com- 
 mitted, while it made up fuch a man, 
 in the innocency or better demeanour 
 of it felf in fome other ftate into which 
 it removed afterward 3 and fo on the 
 other fide the matter that hath been 
 virtuous, while it was fuch a man, 
 may afterwards come to be debauch- 
 ed in its future difguifes, and fo a de- 
 merit of its former worthy perfor- 
 mances enfite 5 and thus body not be 
 found by either fort of men fuch as 
 they left it. So unreafonable are thefe 
 Hypothesise that are fet up againft 
 the Souls immortality. Nor would it 
 eafily be believed, that there fhould 
 be a (egrcgating care of God, to keep 
 every mans body diftinft, fb as never 
 to fcrve any other purpofe in the ma- 
 terial Creation, it being againft evi- 
 dent experience 5 though we do not 
 at all doubt of his calling home fo 
 much of that matter to unite with the 
 Saul at laft , wherever it may have 
 wandred, as is neceffary to the verity 
 of the Do&rine of the Refurredtion, 
 it being united to a Soul always di- 
 ftinft, and able to give a diftin&nefs 
 to the matter to which it is reunited. 
 
 But 
 
tllje ©?eat ©oul of ®an. 73 
 
 But indeed upon the whole matter, I 
 conclude it of greateft probability, 
 that the Scripture doth moft often in 
 its difcourfes of immortality and the 
 Refurre&ion, intend the whole ftate 
 of eternity or future life, from the 
 Souls firft leaving the body, and en- 
 trance into an everlafting condition, 
 throughout the endlefs Ages of eter- 
 nity, without precife diftin&ions of 
 the periods before and after the Re- 
 furreftion of the body, there being 
 only a circumftantial difference be- 
 tween the Soul in a body or out of it. 
 Yet this ftate is generally expreffed by 
 the Refurre&ion, both becaufe that 
 gives greateft affurance to Spirits in 
 bodies, and feems to them the moft 
 bulky, folid, and intelligible fubfi- 
 ftence^ and alfo becaufe the Refurre- 
 ctionistheconfummation of all things 
 in relation to Gods righteous Govern- 
 ment of the world, and judgment up- 
 on it, and the illufrration or manife- 
 ftation thereof, in that way his wif- 
 dom hath thought moft meet, that is, 
 in a vidble, fenfible way with refpeft 
 to mankind. 
 
 Including then, and confeffing this 
 Article of the Refurre&ion of the 
 
 Bcdy, 
 
74 <Ef>e ©?eat ©oul of $i)atn 
 
 Body, as mod true and certain 5 I fay 
 the Scripture doth by the Refurre&ion 
 exprefs the whole ftate of an everlaft- 
 ing condition, whether out of the bo- 
 dy before the Refurre&ion, or in the 
 body after the Refurre&ion, yet al- 
 ways fixed primarily in the Soul. For 
 except the Refurre&ion be thus under- 
 ftood, there could be no reafon to 
 them, that acknowledge a Soul, why 
 the very foundations of Religion 
 Ihould be refted fo much upon this 
 principle of the Refurre&ion, for they 
 might be well fecured by the firm be- 
 lief and full acknowledgment of a fu- 
 ture ftate, of happinefs or mifery, re- 
 ward or punifhment in the Soul, a 
 compleat Being without the body, as 
 in the Soul made apparent by a body. 
 But if we thus expound the Refurre- 
 ftion, of the whole future ftate, and 
 that this future ftate for the former 
 reafons is exprefled moft of all by the 
 notion of Rifing again with the body, 
 there is both a reafon why all Religi- 
 on is refted upon it, becaufe the whole 
 life to come is intended by it, and 
 alfo why rifing again in the body is the 
 fitted expreflion of that ftate, becaufe 
 by us as in bodies the future ftate is beft 
 underftood fo. For 
 
€foe &?eat ©oul of 30am 7 5 
 
 For this feparated ftate of the Soul 
 is that Hades, that ftate of invisibi- 
 lity, in which according to the Rules 
 we go by, and the apprehensions of 
 things we have in this world, rae?i 
 feem to be loft, and we account them 
 foin the ftate of the dead, as to be 
 wholly removed from the notions we 
 as men of this world have of life, 
 though even then they live to God, to 
 whofe eye the vifibiltty and invifibili- 
 ty of his Creatures is all alike, and he 
 calleth thofe that are invifible to us as 
 vifible, and is their God, even as he 
 is of thofe mod vifible to us 5 his ac- 
 count of them is as ftrift, his care and 
 provifion equal, or rather fuperior^ 
 He is not ajl)amed to he called their Heb.n. 
 God, for he hath provided them a Ci- l6 > 
 ty } and that they are invifible to us, 
 leflens them not at all to him, they 
 ftand as fair in his Regifter of Beings, 
 in his Booh^ of life. 
 
 Out of this Hades therefore Chrift a- 
 rofe, the firji begotten from the dead, 
 aqd attended indeed into a glory out of 
 fight, but yet he left thereby fuch an 
 argument of a future ftate, as we are 
 moft able to accept. And this very 
 fame Hades ox ftate ofinvifibility (hall 
 
 give 
 
76 %\>t ®??ac Saul of ^art» 
 
 give up all that are now in it, into 
 the moft vijible representations of hap- 
 pinefs or mifery. 
 
 Having now fettled the diftin&ion 
 betwixt Body and Spirit^ I come to 
 give fuch defcriptions of Spirit and 
 fpiritual nature^ as may mak^ further 
 difcovery of mans Soul, and for a ge- 
 neral defcription of Spirit, I would 
 chufetoexprefs it in this manner: 
 
 Spirit is the moft perfeft kind of Be- 
 ing, that hath none of the difadvan- 
 tages and incumbrances of body, but 
 hath all the force and advantage that 
 can poffibly be fuppofed in body, or 
 afcribed to it, much tranfcended in it 
 felf$ the reality and fubftance body 
 feems to us to have, Spirit hath much 
 more 5 the motion or force body hath 
 imprefled upon it, is much higher and 
 more excellent in Spirit, as much more 
 excellent as (elf motion exceeds mo- 
 tion meerly imprinted 5 the Senfe Bo- 
 dy" feems to challenge is a thoufand 
 times quicker in Spirit, and of a na- 
 ture unexpreffibly higher, more re- 
 fined, and furpafling 5 and fo through- 
 out 5 all priviledge of Being is much 
 more, and more exalted in Spi- 
 rit. 
 
 But 
 
Cfoe &*eat &oul of $9an* 77 
 
 But more particularly, we may deem 
 of Spirit by thefe Characters of it. 
 
 1. Spirit is purely and perfe&Iy 
 what it is without any mixture or al- 
 lay, without any incumbrance of lefs 
 noble parts $ it is wholly and perfect- 
 ly it felf 5 That expreffion of God 
 concerning himfelf, / am what I am, 
 may in a degree be accommodated to 
 every Spirit, It is what it is. Thus 
 the Soul of man, an inferiour Spirit, 
 is in the Image of God the Supreme Spi- 
 rit. The Body is fevfcral things, feve- 
 ral humours, and parts amafled, and 
 diftributed into fome order, diftant in 
 fituation, different in their allay,fome 
 more excellent, fome bafer. But Spi- 
 rit is All one, one All, All of an excel- 
 lency, All one Thing 5 this may be tru- 
 ly faid of the Soul, though not in that 
 high fenfe, as of God. 
 
 2. It is a Being that cannot be di- 
 vided or feparated. It is like a beam 
 of the Sun 5 who can cut off a beam in 
 the midft ? It flyes back and recoils 
 into it (elf } fo does the Soul, the Spi- 
 rit of a man : You can take nothing 
 off from it, for what can you take 
 but it felf, feeing it is All felf? It is 
 like virtue, like light, nothing can be 
 
 pared 
 
78 <Ebe ©jeat ©oul tf £>am 
 
 pared off from virtue or light. All 
 is one and the fame, the very, nature 
 of thefe things forbids precifion^ the 
 Soul goes all together, and never 
 lofes or leaves any thing of it felf be- 
 hind it. 
 
 3. It i? a Being of perfect commu- 
 nion and communication with it felf, 
 like a Diamond cut to greateft advan- 
 tage, you fee it at one glance, at one 
 eye, the whole runs as it were into 
 every point 5 thus the Spirit of a man 
 (hines every way into it felf, and re- 
 bounds upon it felf: The more fine, 
 pure, and adive any thing, though in 
 bodily nature, is, the more it recipro- 
 cates with it felf, and runs, as it were, 
 every part into every part of it felf, as 
 Light, Fire, Air, which therefore re- 
 femble Spirits, whole property it is 
 more perfectly to do this. 
 
 Now that thefe are true ChaTa&ers 
 of a Spirit, befides that we have fome 
 kind of intuitive knowledge , or 
 down-right look into thefe things, by 
 the very virtue of a Spirits knowledge 
 of it felf, and that general fenfe and 
 experience we have of our own Be- 
 ings, and the motions and activities of 
 them, it may yet farther be affured by 
 
 what 
 
fcfe ©?eat ©ou\ of i^an, 79 
 
 what we find and perceive daily to be 
 the disadvantages cf bodies, for we 
 find by effect? fas hath alreadv been 
 infilled upon) that there muft be a 
 higher order of Beings, than boc 
 which we call Spirits, and that of this 
 order the Supreme Being is the firft, 
 aod that inferiour natures are Co, be- 
 caufethey are made in his Image and 
 likenefsi we rauft then afcribetothe 
 Supreme Spirit fuch effential Attri- 
 butes and Characters, wherein he is 
 infinite, as may anfvver thofe effects, 
 for which we feek fo great a Caufe, 
 andfo in created Spirits, feeing; there 
 are depreffions and inconveniences, 
 that peculiarly belong to body, by 
 realbn of which we cannot allow to 
 them fuch and fuch effects, that are 
 plainly above them, We mufr there- 
 fore fix fuch Characters upon thete 
 fpiritual Natures, which we fay are 
 created in Divine likjnefs, as may en- 
 noble them above thofe isconveaien- 
 cesj which befall mean matter. 
 
 As when hrft we afcribe to Spirit 
 fimplicity , It is eahe to argue, that 
 the more anv thing is limple. fincere, 
 and one with it felf, with the more 
 certainty it doth hold its own fubfi- 
 
 ftence, 
 
80 ©fce ©?eat Soul of $)arf. 
 
 ftence, in that it can run no hazard, 
 but of ics entire fingle efTence, where- 
 as compounded Beings are in perpe- 
 tual danger of a diffolution, and the 
 more one and fingle any thing is, with 
 the more force and power it proceeds 
 to its effe&s, feeing it moves at once 
 with its whole felf, and a perfect uni- 
 on of its ftrength : whereas alfo com- 
 pounded Beings muft be accountable 
 for their parts, which muft be made 
 good , that there may be a full 
 force for theeffeft} but parts being 
 but loofly fet together, if any be loft, 
 the whole is impaired, and weakened 
 according to the noblenefi and value 
 of the part it hath loft: Laftly,that 
 felf-communion and communication,, 
 whereby any Being hath its center eve- 
 ry where in it felf, and hath in every 
 point of it felf, the center of its own 
 Intelligence of it felf, is vaftly necefTa- 
 ry, that any efficient may work with 
 coimfel and defign, and the full im- 
 provement of it felf to every thing, 
 it would bring to pate} fo that thefe 
 things are hereby manifefted, to be 
 true Characters of fuch a Being, as 
 we call Spirit, infinite in the infinite 
 Spirit 5 in created Spirits futable and 
 
 pro- 
 
C(je €>?eat «oul of ® am 8 1 
 
 proportionable to the rank of their 
 Creation, and (b in the Soul of man, 
 C though under the reftraint and dis- 
 advantages of a Body joined with it) 
 in which we are particularly to take 
 notice of the great force and confe- 
 quences of thefe Chara&ers. 
 
 i. From hence it follows, The Soul 
 is a mod a&ive Being, of greateft life, 
 vigour, and motion, in a perpetual 
 intellectual felf-motion, like the Sun 
 that is always playing its beams and 
 light 5 God hath prepared the Soul 
 for fuch a motion ^ in its very creati- 
 on he defigned it for motion, and fet 
 it into motion, a rational motion of 
 -underftanding, will, afFe&ion, imagi- 
 nation, and remembrance, (elf-reflexi- 
 on, and confcience. In thefe it hath 
 a moft lively agitation of it fel£ as 
 foon as ever it was in being, from the 
 very firft moments of its being, and in 
 the very nature of its being, it be- 
 came a perpetual motion, a felf-mo- 
 tion, or mover of it felf 5 we may 
 perceive it in the quick and free mo- 
 tion of Thought, the continual moti- 
 on of Thought, that never refts. The 
 purity, finenefs, and fimplicity of it, 
 allures it cannot but be natural to it, 
 G to 
 
82 c&e ©?eat ftou! or $tatu 
 
 to move, and move it felf. God im- 
 prefled it with life and aftioa in the 
 very make of it 5 feeing it is all (elf, 
 and all of it received motion alike 
 from the firft mover, it can have no 
 heavy and (luggifh parts to heave 
 from their reft, and carry along with 
 it, by which its motion, being con- 
 trolled, fhould grow dull. The moft 
 vivacious parts of Body, and which 
 are moft a&ive, having fo much load, 
 fo much dull matter, to infpire and 
 move on, are eafily damped, but it is 
 not fo with Spirit. 
 
 And then from without, Bodies 
 continually have their motion arrett- 
 ed, by encountring other Bodies of a 
 contrary intention, imprinted with 
 the juft oppoQte motion \ but Spirit 
 finds nothing abroad to cool, but eve- 
 ry thing provokes, every thing ftirs 
 up their motion : For it is moved to 
 move felf, by every thing that prefents 
 it felf to it, and the more objeft the 
 more motion } like a violent recoil 
 from a hard body, the motion back is 
 made fiercer. Every thing the Soul 
 meets, inftead of abating its motion, 
 refle&s it with a new force, and re- 
 turns it upon more vehement exami-> 
 
 nation 
 
tl&e ©jeat ©oul of $Jam 83 
 
 nation and enquiry $ that is, more 
 earned morion, if it be in things per- 
 taining to its knowledge 5 but if in 
 things related to its affe&ion, the a&i- 
 on is more forcible upon it felf with 
 pleafure or vexation, according to the 
 nature of what is encountred. 
 
 Whatever is to be abated from this 
 account of the Souls motion, muft be 
 imputed to the inconvenience of its 
 working by Body, whofe chanels are 
 fo tender and brittle, and cannot en- 
 dure too great vehemency$ in com- 
 panion to which the motion is mode- 
 rated, the conduits are fo ftrait, and 
 obftru&ed through the Senfes unexer- 
 cifed to the ufes and ends of the Soul, 
 that its adtion cannot ftream out like 
 it felf : Laftly,the inftruments and or- 
 gans grow weary and heavy, by the 
 difadvantages and rencounters, the 
 parts of matter have between them- 
 selves 5 upon which the Souls motion 
 feems flower, and tired alfo. 
 
 Yet there is no time wherein 
 Thought (lands ftill, though in the 
 narroweft Soul, and how meanly foe- 
 ver it be employed, as it is in igno- 
 rant and fordid minds. But further, 
 there are at all times great Examples 
 G 2 of 
 
84 <Et?* &&M & m \ of $tatn 
 
 of the lively motions of the Soul of 
 man, in wife and excellent perfons, 
 and of the greatnefs and vehemency 
 thereof ^ which is yet a thoufand 
 fold greacer,and will be perfeft in the 
 everlafting ftate : Its motion will be 
 then wound up to the higheft, and 
 there will be no allay from a heavy 
 Body 5 then all the thoughts, affefti- 
 ons, powers, will (ally out with an 
 unimaginable life. Oh how neceflary 
 is it, that we prepare by holy motion, 
 and adtion now, to that motion, that 
 it may be bleflfed, feeing there is no 
 reft from it, there is no quieting it, 
 nor fo much as (lackning the (wiftnefs 
 of it. If it be not a motion that makes 
 happy and blefled, it is yet as high a 
 motion, but in mifery, and to the per- 
 feftion of mifery. 
 
 2. Hence it follows, the Soul is im- 
 mortal, becaufe it is perfectly it felf, 
 and fo feparated from all things el(e $ 
 for the alteration of things in matter 
 is from their compofition, one thing 
 having many meeting to make it up, 
 and thefe either ftruggling and con- 
 tefting among themfelves, the ftronger 
 % fubduing the weaker, or by the for- 
 ciblenefs of outward impreffion upon 
 
 one, 
 
C&e Cjeat ©oul of *9 am 3 5 
 
 one, or more of the ingredients, a 
 diflblution of that compofure is 
 brought to pafs. The Heavens, and 
 heavenly Bodies being purer, and 
 more uncompounded have flood fo 
 many Ages with fo little alteration. 
 
 A Spirit being (imply and entirely 
 it (elf can neither be forced afunder by 
 feuds within it felf, nor by violence 
 from without 5 there being nothing 
 in its fubftance to make any inteftine 
 War, nor any thing weaker or (Wrong- 
 er to fubduc, or be fubdued } and 
 therefore it receives all ftrokes upon 
 its whole felf, as- an An vile that is 
 beaten clofer and more united by all 
 the Hammers that fall upon it. All 
 the griefs and troubles, and difquiets 
 that rife up in it, are only the erodes 
 and counter motions, and actions of 
 its (entiments and apprehenfions 5 yea 
 the very difmal falls of Divine Difplea- 
 fure upon it, do but awaken and ftir 
 up fad and grievous apprehenfions in 
 it, but do not in the leaft touch the 
 eflence or fubftance of the Soul to 
 weaken it. 
 
 This is that death, the only death 
 
 of the Soul, that it is capable of a 
 
 darknefs in the lofs of that Beauty, 
 
 G 3 and 
 
B6 1£t>e <8>?*at ©oul of $>atu 
 
 and excellency of holy motion, and 
 in the deprivation of happineft and 
 blefTednefs, the favour of God, alofs 
 of its perfe&ion without any diminu- 
 tion of Being. And though it be now. 
 in the Body, and Teems to be loft in 
 the ruines of that, yet it is indeed fo 
 perfe&ly it felf, fo Separable in its na- 
 ture from the Body, (as I have already 
 difcours'd at large^fo diftinft and com- 
 plete in it felf,that it is only acquitted 
 from that in death, not at all altered or 
 changed in its fubltantial fel£ 
 
 So then this fimplicity of the Soul 
 witneffes the Immortality of its na- 
 ture, and that it cannot be diffolved 
 like the things of this world, that con- 
 fift in the union of feveral things, that 
 confpire and meet together, and after- 
 wards flyeafunder 5 but the Soul hath 
 nothing to lofc, or part from, but 
 its whole felf, being one fimple things 
 One All) and All One, there can be no 
 difTolution. 
 
 Nay the things of this world, al- 
 though they are feveral things, united 
 and made up fo into one, as feveral 
 things can be, and when thofe feveral 
 things flye afunder, that one thing is 
 diffolyed$ yet becaufe the parts ftill 
 
 continue 
 
tl&e @#at Soul of ^an* 87 
 
 continue to be, they become fome- 
 thing el(e 5 for there can be no anni- 
 hilation, or bringing things back to 
 nothing but by the omnipotency that 
 created them 5 fo that all the death 
 and difTolution, that is in whole na- 
 ture, is but only a continual flux and 
 reflux 5 a perpetual pafling out of one 
 ftiape, figure, nature, into another, 
 which, becaufe things love to be as 
 they are, look for the prefent like 
 death, perifhing, and the decay of 
 the world it felf 5 although the com- 
 position, for that time being, is only 
 brought to ruine 5 and although the 
 parts, it maybe, are meliorated, made 
 more beautiful and advanced 5 as 
 when a Veffel of Silver defigned for 
 bafer ufe is broken to pieces, purged 
 in the Refiners fire, and then made a 
 Veflel of honour, and the materials of 
 a meaner and decayed Building taken 
 down, and b.id into a nobler Stru- 
 cture } yet while this is doing, it hath 
 the appearance of fpoil and deftru- 
 ftion, whereas indeed all, even to 
 the very Fragments, is gathered up 
 that nothing may be loft, not fo much 
 as the filth of the VeiTeJ, ortheduft 
 of the Building. 
 
 G 4 We 
 
88 Cfce ©jeat ©oul of g)am 
 
 We may then thus far derive from 
 lower Nature, what may make the 
 Immortality of the Soul an eafier No- 
 tion to us : For we fee, It is the twift- 
 ing things together , with fuch une- 
 qual ftrengths of the Parts in motion 
 one againft another , and the liable- 
 nefs of thofe Parts to the impreffion 
 of Forreign Motion , that let in the 
 Mortality and Frailty that is in world- 
 ly Things } that fo by the prevalency 
 fometimes of one thing, fometimesof 
 another, there might be thofe conti- 
 nual Changes and Viciffitudes, that 
 Cod hath appointed for Purpofes 
 moft agreeable to the greatnefs and 
 myfterioufnefs of his moft wife Go- 
 vernment and Providence. 
 
 But the Ampler, and more felf any 
 thing is, the more hardly it is altered, 
 till we come to that which is caird 
 Tirji Matter and Motion, which in the 
 abftraft Notion of them, and as they 
 are by themfelves, cannot be changd 
 or loft, but by annihilation. 
 
 For that we call Firfi Matter , or 
 Matter , as we underftand it unitn- 
 prefs'd by Form , or Particular Na~ 
 ttiray though as it is in Particular Na- 
 ture, it be always dying put of one 
 
 Shape ? 
 
tE&e ©** at ©oul of ®att> $9 
 
 Shape, Figure, Nature, into another } 
 is yet fo immortal in it felf, that it 
 cannot it (elf perifh but by annihila- 
 tion : And that Motion which is us'd 
 by God for the twirling this Matter 
 into fo many feveral Forms, and is 
 perpetually flitting from one part of 
 it to another, and is even driven and 
 expuls'd by the Contrafts it hath with 
 it felf, as it is in thofe ftveral parts of 
 Matter, from one to another } cannot 
 yet be fpent in the Sum, or any De- 
 gree of it be abated in the Total. 
 
 Thcfe two, becaufe thus abftra&cd, 
 they are perfeftly and intirely them- 
 felves, have thus much of Immortali- 
 ty, that they never take End, till an 
 End is put to them by Almighty Effi- 
 ciency .* But Matter is laid by God, 
 and fo lies as a Foundation of his 
 Works, that cannot be removed } and 
 Motion is the Infimment he hath pre- 
 pared for the management of thofe 
 his Works 5 and thefe in their firnpie 
 felves have no jars within, nor cannot 
 be touched by any extern Hand 5 but 
 as they are in compofition , undergo 
 thofe ieveral Changes, and haften out 
 of one pofture into anothcr,as it plea- 
 fes God 5 being ftill the ftmein them- 
 
 felves : 
 
$0 C(je <S5?eat ©oul of $)atu 
 
 felves: For all that Matter can be 
 fqueez'd into, is Matter 5 and all that 
 Motion can be overcome into, is Mo- 
 tion } and fo they will be, till they 
 are difannulPd by God. 
 
 And thus the Soul, its own Sub- 
 ftance, its own Motion,' receiving 
 both from God in its very Being, and 
 fo being all Self, as an unlhaken Rock, 
 or Firfi Matter^ bears and lies under 
 all the difpofes of God, and as higheft 
 Life turns every way with, & fubfcrves 
 his admirable Adminiftrations upon 
 it felf, which are all in Righteout 
 nefs, Holinefs, Juftice, and Mercy. 
 This Spirit, I fay, lies under all pof- 
 fible Impreffions that can be made on 
 a Soul 5 and yet it is a Soul ftill , it 
 is always the fame 5 It is always the 
 fame as to its Effence, and cannot be 
 fo altered or changed , as to become 
 another Thing : It muft be it felf, or 
 it muft be nothing} and all Aftion 
 upon it, can but provoke it to Intel- 
 lectual A&ion: So it is found, and fo 
 it is left by every thing that comes 
 near it, except God fhould come to 
 make a final Determination upon its 
 Being. There is no change upon the 
 Subftance of a Spirit, but Annihilati- 
 on: 
 
TE&e fl>?eat ftoul o( $)am 9 1 
 
 on : The State, and Condition, and 
 Quality of it may be chang'd from 
 Good to Evil , from Evil to Good, 
 from Happinels to Mifery, from Mife- 
 ry to Happinefs 5 the very Being re- 
 mains unalterable, while it is. 
 
 The onely way then of the Souls 
 coming to an end, muft be by Anni- 
 hilation, or being crufla'd to Nothing 
 by Infinite Power : Concerning which, 
 let us further confider, 
 
 It is true, the Ejjence and Exigence 
 of the Soul are feveral things : that 
 is, There is the Nature of the Soul in 
 general, and this is one thing, and is 
 calFd its Ejfence? and this confidered 
 in a poffibility of Aftual Being, or not 
 Being, as it may be, or may not be: 
 When it is, we call it Exiftence, or 
 A3ual Being 5 and this is another thing 
 from its Ejjence. Therefore it might 
 either not have come into Being at 
 all 5 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 onely can annihilate or 
 bring to nothing that which is. 
 
 In all thefe things the Soul is be- 
 yond all expreffion excell'd by God, 
 who onely ^ as the Apoftle fpeaks, hath 
 
 immor- 
 
9^ tE$e ©?eat ©oul of $)am 
 
 immortality : For he it is alone that 
 in the trueft fenfe is what he is 5 fo 
 inconceivably and perfe&ly Himfelfi 
 that he is onely of, and from himftlf 5 
 and HimfelfCo infinitely, that he com- 
 prehends and embraces in himfelf the 
 whole Divine Nature, and there is not 
 a fecond God. He is alone , and be- 
 fides him there is no God^ he knows 
 not any other } -with him there is no 
 variation nor floadow of turning, nei- 
 ther in his Being , nor in any of the 
 Attributes of his Being: Moji Great 
 and Good, Moji Happy and for ever 
 Beji. For he hath all within himfelf, 
 and there is nothing without him of 
 any compare with him, not any thing, 
 but what receives Being from him 3 fo 
 that neither from within, nor from 
 without, can there be any occafion 
 of change in him: He it is, whole 
 Ejfence and Exigence are one and the 
 fame Thing. His Ejfence, in the very 
 true Notion of it, rifes up into imme- 
 diate and abfolute Exigence : For 
 there is no other Notion of his Ef- 
 . fence, but in his Ex/Jience. It is his 
 very Ejfence or Nature to Be. He is 
 never fo little , as in a poffibility to 
 Be 3 but always (b great, that it is 
 
 im- 
 
impoffible he (hould not Be. He is 
 without the allay of a poffibility to 
 Be, which alfo includes a poffibility 
 not to Be. He is the higheft and moft 
 perpetual AU of Being } Eternal in the 
 very Life of Being. To grant the Na- 
 ture of God no incompoffible Noti- 
 on, is to wrap up a Mans felf in the 
 conclufion he is, and that unchange- 
 ably : For he is a neceffary Being, a 
 Being that cannot but Be. 
 
 And it is of much confederation 
 concerning hisBeing,that there (hould 
 be fuch a Lock upon the Mind of 
 Man,that it can no fooner grant, There 
 may be a God 5 but it is furprizd with 
 this, There muft be a God : for the 
 very Nature of Deity concludes a ne- 
 ceffity of Being, Abfolute Being. 
 
 God is Paramount in thefe Prero- 
 gatives of Being , and the Soul can- 
 not be likened to him, from whom it 
 hath its All. But yet a much truer 
 and nobler Immortality have the Spi- 
 rits and Souls of Men , than Matter 
 and Motion before fpoken of 5 feeing 
 Spirit is defign'd, prepar'd for, and 
 in its own Nature, and immediately 
 in it felf, of much higher Excellency, 
 Purity, Self-motion, fit for Intelli- 
 gence 
 
gency, and all Rational Enjoyment} 
 as much above any Notion of Mat- 
 ter, or appearance of it in any Form, 
 or afted by any Motion, or into any 
 Nature whatever, as Heaven is above 
 Earth. 
 
 And beyond this, It is the Nature 
 of Spirits, having their Subftance, Na- 
 ture, Motion, all within themfelves, 
 to be always diftinft, and to have Sub- 
 fiftence in themfelves, proper and pe- 
 culiar to themfelves , and divided 
 from all others : whereas the others, 
 as they are made up in fuch and fuch 
 Natures,and out of which they are not 
 found, are continually altering and 
 changing,and palling out of one Form 
 into another, and have no other aftu- 
 al Subfiftence in themfelves, but what 
 they have in thefe fb continually vari- 
 ated Appearances. 
 
 For the whole Stock of Matter and 
 Motion, that is in the World, is made 
 ufeofby God in common 5 and thefe 
 two are always running every way, in- 
 to all the fuccefiive Compofitions the 
 Creator hath defign'd them for, and 
 as they are govem'd by him : But all 
 the whole Nature of Spirit, that hath 
 ever been in the Creation, from the 
 
 very 
 
tl&e ©?eat ©oul of gtatu 9 5 
 
 very Beginning, hath without any 
 confufion, or running one Spirit into 
 another , been preferv'd in ftridteft 
 diftinftion and feparation one from 
 another , fb many proper Subftftences, 
 always known to God, underftood, 
 and taken notice of by him, in this 
 their diftinftnels^ and fo are, and 
 (hall be known to themfelves for ever 5 
 and as fuch, they (hall be raanifefted 
 and expofed to the univerfal Affembly 
 of themfelves, Angels, and Men, and 
 judg'd according to their Works 5 be- 
 cause they have been their own, and 
 notanothers with them. 
 
 So then, though the Spirits and 
 Souls of Men, even as Matter and 
 Motion, are dependent upon the Plea- 
 fure of the Creator , whether they 
 (hall continue in Being, or not, if we 
 fpeak of the thing absolutely 5 yet it 
 is very evident, from the confiderati- 
 on of the whole ftate of the matter, 
 that Spirits are the raoft proper aad 
 natural Inhabitants of Immortality 3 
 and howfoever it may pleafe the 
 Creator to determine upon the other 
 Parts of the Creation, yet there is as 
 great aflurance as Reafon can rife un- 
 to, and higher yet from Divine Reve- 
 lation, 
 
$6 Cfje <8>?eat Soul of 90m 
 
 lation, that he intends that our Souls 
 (hould be for ever j feeing he hath 
 made them with Faculties, and Pow- 
 ers of A&ion, Intelle&ual, Moral, and 
 immediately refpe&ing himfelf } which 
 are lb connatural to the true ftate of 
 Immortality, and fo plain an approach 
 to, and refcmblance of him, who on- 
 ly hath Immortality, that it is almoft 
 impoffible to a ferious Confiderer to 
 think, that there could be any other 
 defignation of them by God, but for 
 an immortal duration 5 feeing, he hath 
 fo prepared them for fuch a Conditi- 
 on , who does nothing in vain , nor 
 does fo debate his own Image, as to 
 draw the Lineaments of it in Duft. 
 It remains then, That the Soul in the 
 Nature given it by Creation, and in 
 the defignation of the Almighty, who 
 gave it that Nature, is an Immortal 
 Spirit. 
 
 5. From the Character of a Spirits 
 felf-communication, it follows 5 The 
 Soul is an Vnderftanding : For the 
 higheft degree of Self-communication 
 is Understanding. Even in things ar- 
 tificial, when any thing feems to com- 
 municate with another, and to receive 
 Intelligence from another, and im- 
 parts 
 
Cfre #?eat ®oul of SgJam - $7 
 
 parts it again to it , there is a fern- 
 blance of underftanding 3 as in the 
 Sympathetique anfwer of one Lute to 
 another : lVh?n the Heaven hears the 
 Earth, in the Prophets phrafe, it feems 
 to underftand it. The mutual Returns 
 of one Creature to another are a kind 
 of Underftanding in them 3 or rather 
 that Great Underftanding of God runs 
 through them all , and is an Under- 
 ftanding in their behalf. Life, within 
 the compafs and fphere of that Being 
 that hath it, is (elf-communicated Mo- 
 tion : for all the Parts are in a confe- 
 deracy one with another, and at aa 
 agreement among themfelves, for the 
 motion of the whole Frame, as if they 
 had treated, and ftill held intelligence 
 one with another: But in Difeafes 
 they grow ftrange to one another 5 
 their Language, like that of Babel, is 
 confounded, and in death utterly fi- 
 lencd. But the higher the Life, ftill 
 the more appearance of Underftand- 
 ing, becaufe there is a higher Self- 
 communication, till we come indeed 
 to the Life of Underftanding, and Co 
 up to the higheft Life and higheft 
 Underftanding, which is alfothe high- 
 eft, mod true, and perfeft Self com- 
 H munication^ 
 
*8 tE&e ©jeat Stall of $$m. 
 
 munication, that is, the Life and Vn- 
 derjianding of God , who hath not 
 onely a Life and Underftanding with- 
 in himfelf, but alfo of, add from him- 
 felf 5 An Eternal Self communication, 
 or Refleftion of himfelf, to, and with- 
 in himfelf, upon himfelf: And this In- 
 finite Spring of Being^md Self commu- 
 nication^ never ceafes , nor can ceafe 
 to communicate himfelf to himfelf, 
 ever knowing, underftanding himfelf, 
 enjoying , converting with himfelf, 
 which is Eternity of Life , for he that 
 does thus, can never have been out 
 of Being, nor can ever die: A perpe- 
 tual Circle of deriving himfelf from 
 himfelf, to himfelf: A pureft Intelleft 
 and Mind, ever beholding, and moft 
 divinely refenting it felf in uninter- 
 mitted Knowledge, and underftanding 
 of it felf, and fo living for ever : For, 
 what underftands, lives 5 and what un- 
 derstands higheft, lives higheft $ and 
 what underftands for ever, lives for 
 ever. 
 
 AH Creatures of Life, even of high- 
 eft Life, the Life of Underftanding, 
 have in an abated fenfe onely Life 
 within themfdvesj or a Self communi- 
 cation, having received it at firft, and 
 
 receiving 
 
C&e &wt ®Qtrt of $)atn 99 
 
 teceiving it fiill every moment from 
 God. In Chrifi was Life as in f£t Johui*!, 
 Fountain, that Ls,that high Life ofVn* 
 derftanding } and this Life was the 
 Light of Men, that is, the Spring and 
 Original of their Underftanding. 
 
 And this Underftanding, in reiem* 
 blance of God's Life ,' is the proper 
 Life of the Soul : For the Soul lives 
 by feeling it felf in thefe Selfcommu+ 
 uications, by perceiving its own Co* 
 gitations, Conceptions, Comprehenfi- 
 ons, Affeftions, and whatever elfe ard 
 the natural Refults and Activities of 
 a Rational and Intellectual Life$ even 
 as we feel and perceive Natural Life, 
 by the feveral Motions and Self-corn- 
 munications of that Life : And this 
 Life, if we fpeak ftri&Iy of it, as it 
 is a Life of Reafon and Underftand- 
 ing, hath no Contrary, it hath no Ad- 
 verfary to encounter, nor is there any 
 Privation of it conceivable , except 
 by the deftru&ion of the Soul it felf 
 into nothing. 
 
 For this Life is as near to the Soul, 
 as Luftre and Splendor is to Light} if 
 you take it away, the very Nature 
 it felf is loft } all the Wickednefs and 
 Mifery in Hell cannot quench it: For 
 H 2 who 
 
ico Cfce ©?eat ®ouI of $)am 
 
 who more knowing, fagacious, reft- 
 lefs, in all Motions natural to Spirits, 
 than the Devils? That which comes 
 neareft to the ftupefying this Life, is 
 being funk down into Body } in the 
 lower ftate of which yet this Life re- 
 mains , though greatly cover'd and 
 conceal'd } and it cannot be long fd 
 conceal'd. This Life is therefore, iu 
 this regard, plainly a Life immortal 3 
 except God himfelf by an immediate 
 hand extinguilh it 5 and this cannot 
 be believ'd, feeing it is fo near a re- 
 fcmblance of his own Life : For, that 
 he (hould make an Intelle&ual Life, 
 fo high in its Nature, to fo low a pur- 
 pole, is not agreeable with the Wif- 
 dom of all the Works of God. 
 
 Now this Underftanding, as we 
 have faid, is Self communication: For 
 as Reafoning or Ratiocination is the 
 communicating of Things one with 
 another in a way of compare, a col- 
 lating of them one with another, and 
 ballancing them together , and then 
 giving the account } and the quicker 
 and more fudden this motion is made, 
 the more lively is the Ratiocination, 
 and the more excellent is the Under- 
 ftanding : So the Principle of this 
 
 Rati' 
 
C&e ©?r at ©oul of 89 am i o i 
 
 Ratiocination every moment confer* 
 with it felf, what it hath attain'd by 
 this courfe of Reafon, and recipro- 
 cates with it felf all it hath obferv'd. 
 God in an infinite manner knows him- 
 felf within himfelf, and all that is, in 
 a moment, by an Omniprefent Under- 
 ftanding: but according to the advan- 
 tage the Soul hath to work with, as 
 it is in the Body, or in the date of 
 feparation from it 5 fo the Under- 
 (landing of Man goes a greater or let 
 fer Circle,for the communicating with 
 Things 3 but every moment it com- 
 municates with it felf, what it gathers 
 by its communication with other 
 things. This felf communication both 
 of the Divine and Humane Spirit, the 
 Apoftle thus expreffes to us 3 The Spi- 1 cor. u 
 rit fearches the deep or moft retired I0 ' 11, 
 things of God. There is nothing in 
 God referv'd , or afar off from him- 
 felf 5 he eternally communicates his 
 whole (elf with himfelf: fo he hath 
 given to Man to underftand himfelf 5 
 The things of a man kpows no man, 
 but the fpirit of a man that is within 
 him 5 and that knows them. So then 
 a Man hath a power of felf- communi- 
 cation j or underjianding the things 
 H 3 within 
 
re 2 «|je fi>?eaf ©out of $)aiu 
 
 within himfelf: Yet God communi- 
 cates with Mans Soul nearer than he 
 can with himfclf, that is, he under- 
 ftaffds more of. Man, than Man hira- 
 i Job. 3. felf does 5 Ae is greater than onr 
 veil 120 hearts^ and knows all things $. he un* 
 *. derjlands our thoughts ajar off. The 
 
 Reafon is, He is the Fountain of this 
 Life of Underftanding > /// him we 
 intelleftually live^ and move, and have 
 Mr being $ and he knows in himjelf 
 What is done in us, by the vertne that 
 goes out of him for the doing of it : 
 for he communicates with himfelf, all 
 that he enables his Creatures to do. 
 
 From all this then it appears, That 
 to understand any thing, is to com- 
 municate with it. The Mind commu- 
 5 nacates with all it underftands ^ and the 
 Nature of Underftanding, is commut 
 nicating with Things, and felf com" 
 mnnieation. The Mind communicates 
 with it felf all it receives by coramu^ 
 nication with other Things : The Un- 
 derftanding goes out, to underftand 
 things at a diftance from it 5 It com- 
 municates with them 5 It enters into 
 their Natures, as far as it can : Yet it 
 is not in this chiefly an Underftanding, 
 but that it reflects within it felf its 
 
 own 
 
ttDe ®#at ©oul of g*atn \o$ 
 
 own Obfervations, in that it commu- 
 nicates with it felf all the while, it 
 communicates with other things, and 
 feels within it (elf its own Percepti- 
 ons, as the Eye perceives its own Re- 
 ceptions. In this it is chiefly an Un- 
 derftanding 5 not like a dead Inftru- 
 ment or Trepan, that enters within 
 things, and knows not that it does fo } 
 that takes hold, without any appre- 
 henfion: or like the Eye of a Beaft, 
 that looks upon things without Know- 
 ledge, and comes no nearer them, that* 
 Senfe can do. Things that cannot 
 communicate themfelves within them- 
 felves, canaot underftand. Under- 
 ftandingencreafesit felf by more plen- 
 tiful and continual Sdf communicati- 
 on : Underftandings encreafe one ano- 
 ther by mutual communication, and 
 grow greater Underftandings, and as 
 it were into one common Underftand- 
 ing. This is the proper Nature, and 
 the Specification of an Underftand- 
 ings and the Soul in its very Efl'ence 
 is an Underftandjng, 
 
 4. The fourth Couftquence from 
 
 the Nature of a Spirit, is, That the 
 
 Happiqtefs or Miftry of it muft needs 
 
 be exceeding great : For fince fuch a 
 
 H 4 Being 
 
io4 <E&e ®aeat Soul of $)atu 
 
 Being cannot but have great Capaci- 
 ties for one of thefe States, whichfoe- 
 ver of them it is, it muft needs be ex- 
 ceeding great, both becaufe it feels it 
 felf throughout in either of them, 
 and muft needs do (b, in regard of 
 the Reciprocation, Self-communicati- 
 on of all its Powers and Motions 5 and 
 in regard of the Finenefs and Purity 
 of its Being, not abated by Grofnefs, 
 Diftance, and Diftin&ion of Parts, 
 but the Whole running into it felf: 
 asalfo in regard of the Forcible mo- 
 tion of a Spirit, which carries there- 
 fore its Griefs or Pleafures with the 
 rapidnefs of its own motion, and ei- 
 ther bleffes or torments it felf, accord- 
 ing to the vehemency of its Nature. 
 
 The Spirit or Soul of Man in the 
 Body difcovers fomewhat hereof, but 
 in lower degrees, by realbn of thedi- 
 ftribution or it felf to the feveral Parts, 
 Pleafures, Pains, and various Con- 
 cernments of Bodily Nature 5 which 
 while the Soul condefcends to , and 
 complies with, it feeois to imitate 5 fo 
 that it taftes generally intermixed 
 Pleafures onely, and fuffers but alter 
 viatefj Griefi, becaufe this agrees moft 
 l?itfa the Condition of Body , that 
 
tltje #?eat Soul of £5 an, 105 
 
 hath nothing pure : And further, 
 while it is thus interefted, its own 
 proper Motions and A&ivities are 
 both damp'd and confind : For Body 
 is dull and ftrait 5 and if the Soul 
 dwells in it , and afts by it, it muft 
 proportion it (elf to it, or elfe it can- 
 not be its Inftrument. 
 
 Yet thefe Properties of the Soul 
 are not altogether imperceptible, even 
 in Bodily ftatc$ for as the Soul is 
 conformed very far to the Body in 
 thofe Regards, fo hath the Body its 
 Conformities to the Soul , and thofe 
 much more neceffary, feeing it is a&- 
 ed and moved by it : For even Bodily 
 Senfe pays this refcmblance to Spiri- 
 tual, that in every Part it bears Sym- 
 pathy with what is felt in any one 
 Part .• Yet this is, becaufe the Soul en- 
 livening the whole Body, and under- 
 taking for every Part, feels in it felf, 
 as in the Center, the ftate of every 
 Part 5 though it feels according to the 
 manner, nature, and fituation of the 
 fcveral parts of the Body. 
 
 Infome degree of Likenefs alio the 
 vigour of the Souls Refentments are 
 feen, in the raoft fpirituous Pleafures 
 pr acute Pains of Body, that are able 
 
 to 
 
ip6 «&e $>wt *out of #)»m 
 
 to move Nature high, which fall put 
 onely id a lively Conftitution , aqd 
 not taken off, fo as to chill the Plea- 
 fure, or dull the Pain 5 becaufe the 
 Soul hath more Aftive Bodily Powers 
 to (hew it felf by, and wherein it can 
 give greater Teftimony of its own 
 vivid Motion, though but in concern- 
 ednefs for the Body. Thus the Pains 
 of Stone and Gout are much (harper, 
 becaufe they abate fo little from 
 the Conftitution : and the vigours of 
 Health are neceffary for the receipt of 
 Pleafure. 
 
 But the Soul is much more in things 
 proper to it felf All Center , where 
 every one of its proper Pleafures and 
 Pains meet 5 that is , Spiritual Joys 
 and Sorrows : and then the livelinefs, 
 perfiftency of its Nature , carries up 
 to a height all its Enjoyments, or 
 Sufferings. But this is never fo clear, 
 as in its feparated and free eftate , for 
 then efpecially, as it is faid of Eter- 
 nity, It is all drawn as it were into 
 every Moment : So whatever can be 
 fuppos'd in any Point of the Intelle- 
 ctual Nature , if we could fo diftin- 
 guifh, in the fame inftant runs through 
 all 5 which is the firft Height of the 
 
 Hap- 
 
t£&e <^?eat 0oul of Sgan# 107 
 
 Happitfefs or Mifery of a Spirit* 
 , In the next place, the Happinefi or 
 Mifery of a Spirit can be no other 
 than a Happiriefs or Mifery of a Spiri- 
 tual nature, and fo cannot but be 
 great y for that is the Nature of eve- 
 ry thing Spiritual : It is all what it is, 
 and nothing elfe. Every thing but 
 Spirit hath a great deal of cumber, a 
 great deal of Clothes and Habiliments 
 upon it/ But Spirit is purely it felf$ 
 Spiritual Happinefi hath no clog up- 
 on it 5 Spiritual Mifery hath no Sheath 
 upon it, it is all Edge .• And when wc 
 are entred into the Region of Spirits, 
 there will be no heavinets of Body, 
 not diverfions of that in the way. The 
 Bodies of the Refurre&ion, when we 
 receive them, will be fitted to the ve- 
 locity and fwiftnefi of our Minds, and 
 prepar'd fo wholly for them, as moft 
 perfe&ly to attend their condition. 
 
 ObjeS. But becaufe we fee the Bo- 
 dy now fuch an Obftru&ion to all Mo- 
 tions of Soul, it may be doubted, 
 whether there may not be a ftate of 
 Souls, as infenfible or more infenfible 
 than now. 
 
 To refolve this, the Scripture tells 
 us, God makes the Happinefs of his 
 
 Saints 
 
r 08 tEfye tityat %ml of $)am 
 
 Saints like a River ofhighefi Pleafure y 
 and the punilhment of Evil like a fea 
 of flaming Brimftone , both to the 
 height ^ therefore it withal appears, 
 the Faculties are rais'd to the height 
 alfo : Elfe there could be no fuch 
 Happinefs, nor any fuch Punifhment. 
 Infenfible things enjoy nothing , en- 
 dure nothing * and the lower the 
 Senfe , the lower of neceflity is alfo 
 the Enjoyment, and the Pain: There 
 muft be therefore an exaltation of the 
 Faculties to the higheft Life, that in 
 the meeting of the Objefr, and the 
 Faculties, there may be greateft Satis- 
 faction or Mifery. 
 
 Yet it may be underftood upon this 
 very account, there may be Glories 
 and Punifhments of higher and lower 
 degrees, according to the advance- 
 ment or low eftate of the Faculties } 
 and that theftate of the other World 
 may be proportion d to this, that he, 
 who by a Soul more enlarg'd in this 
 Die. 19. World, he who by five Talents gain d 
 tuc. ! ?2. * en * or that knew his Mafters n>ilt y 
 47»4*. and yet did it not 5 thefe being agree- 
 ably of higher apprehenfions , and 
 quicker motions in this World, are in 
 the World to come, by the continu* 
 
 wg 
 
tE$e 6?eat ft oul of ®an ♦ i cp 
 
 ing* elevation of thofe Powers, made 
 fte/er/ <wer more Cities , or £*4fe# 
 »//£ «*<?re Jiripes : but thofe of fewer 
 Talents, and meaner Sentiments, keep 
 ftill their Ranks, being Rulers over 
 fewer Cities , or beaten with fewer 
 firipes : Yet in each of thefe, the ftate 
 of their Souls here, and in Eternity, 
 differs as much in regard of their ap- 
 prehenfions, and the clearnefs of their 
 Faculties, as Twilight and Noon-day. 
 From this ftate of things that hath 
 been given, it may be briefly irtferr'd 
 in thefe Particulars following. 
 
 I . If the Souls of Men, that are an 
 Inferiour Spirit, are fb a&ive and high 
 in their motion 5 then how exalted, 
 and infinitely adorable are all the Per- 
 fections of that Supreme Spirit, lifted 
 up out of all Height! That Eternal- 
 Fountain- Author-Spirit, how infinite- 
 ly pure is his Being, without any va- 
 riation or (hadow of turning 5 dwel- 
 ling in fuch a Light and Luftre of his 
 own Divinity, that nothing can (b 
 much as approach or come within any 
 diftance of? Although his Spirit runs 
 through All, yet there is an infinite 
 feparation of Excellency between God 
 and all things. How clear and bright 
 
 is 
 
i io €$e ©?eat ©out of flftnu 
 
 is his Underftanding,before whofti Hell 
 isnakedj and Dejiruffion hath no co- 
 vering ! Darkpefi and Light an all 
 one to him, becaufe Light and Glory 
 are always round about him, and Hell 
 is but the difpleafure of his Holinefi 
 againft Sin, like a Flame that dazles, 
 and fcorches together : A Fire devours 
 hefore hint, and burnt up his Enemies 
 en every fide. 
 
 How potent are his Efficacies, which 
 way foever he turns them, for Crea- 
 tion, Confcrvation, or the Change of 
 Things, as he pleafes! What is his 
 Favour, or Difpleafure, but the high- 
 eft Efficacies of Kindnefi, or Severity fc 
 of Joy unjpeakable and full of Glory y 
 or of weeping and wailing, without all 
 eafe or remedy ! How do all Spirits 
 Good and Holy, cafi their Crowns 
 before him , and laud him with eter- 
 nal Acknowledgments of both their 
 Being and Happinefs, to his Grace and 
 Goodnefs, and Acclamations to his 
 Praife ! And that Stream from him- 
 felf, that feeds with Being and. Spiri- 
 ' tuality thofe fo unhappy and wretch- 
 ed Spirits, depofed from their Glory 
 and Perfedion, neceflitates them to 
 furvive the Inftances of his Juftice and 
 
 Ho- 
 
«$e ®?tat Soul of £tom i ■ i 
 
 Hblinefe, to the admiration and ever- 
 lafting wonderfrient of the BlefTed, 
 (yet with profoundeft Reverence of 
 unftain'd Holinefs) and their own 
 iftonilhment and horror without end. 
 
 2. If the Soul is a Being fo excel- 
 lent, how foul is Sin, that defiles it 3 
 like a Poyfon, that preientl y darkens 
 a Diamond, or infefts the very Beams 
 of the Sun, or foils the Light? Wc 
 ftiould ever refift Temptations to fin, 
 with the (ad confideration of defiling 
 fo excellent and immortal a Spirit. 
 
 3. It (hews how excellent the Price 
 rauft be that redeems fuch a Spirit. 
 Great is the Redemption of the Soul 
 by Chrift, the Renovation of the Soul 
 by the Holy Spirit. 
 
 4. We thould confider this .Spirit, 
 that though now it is enclos'd in the 
 Body , yet feeing it is prepar'd to 
 much higher and more excellent mo- 
 tion, it muft burft out } it cannot be 
 always held \ it muft have a freedom, 
 that it may expatiate it felf.* Elfe fo 
 great Powers, having fo little A&ion 
 now, muft have been prepar'd in vain. 
 
 5. We fhould meditate much upon 
 this great Charafter of a Spirit .• It 
 cannot die 5 It is fo it-felf, that it can- 
 not 
 
1 1 2 Q$e <&>?eat Soul of g)an. 
 
 not die ; Its very Being is Intelleft, 
 Life, and Motion 3 (b that it cannot 
 ceafe to live, except it ceafe to be : 
 God, who alone hath power over it, 
 hath defign d it to be for ever , and 
 fram'd it for perpetuity, and fo, that it 
 can have no Adverfary of its Life or 
 Being .• It is fo feparate from all things 
 elfe, that nothing of Body can come 
 near its Effence or Life. What Sword 
 or Fire can cut off or confume 
 Thought, much lefs the Soul, the 
 Original or Spring of it? Whatmoft 
 (iibtle thing in Nature can deftroy 
 the Affe&ion of Love or Fear, much 
 lefs fo attaque the Judgment or R.ea- 
 fon , as forcibly to fupprefs them ? 
 They can kill the Body 5 but they 
 have no more that they can do. 
 
 No created Spirit, how principal fo- 
 ever, can come near the Being of the 
 loweft orbed Soul, thus to touch it .• 
 Sathan the great Enemy of Spirits 
 knows this fo hopelefi an attempt, as 
 never once to plot it .• All his intend- 
 ments againft Humane Spirits,are one- 
 ly to fway them to Evil, and fo pre- 
 cipitate them into Mifery 5 but yet 
 they cannot be mafter d by the high- 
 eft Archangel, fo much as in the Go- 
 vernment 
 
C&e G?eat Soul of 89am 1 1 3 
 
 vernment of themfelves, except they 
 furrenderand betray their own Abfo- 
 lutenefs. 
 
 One Spirit may imprint Thought 
 upon another, offer Argument, endea- 
 vour to induce Affe&ion $ but the 
 Soul is at its own choice for accepta- 
 tion } and whether it accept, or not, 
 its Being is ftill the fame, its Power 
 of Self-refervation the fame 3 fo dou- 
 ble-guarded is the Soul in this great 
 Privilege of being It Jelf: Guarded 
 in its Eflence or Life, guarded in its 
 Liberty and Freedom 5 which argues 
 it a Being of greateft account. Now 
 in that it muft always live, Holinefs 
 and Happinefs, the enjoyment, plea- 
 fure, and perfe&ion of its Life, are 
 with greateft earneftnefs, and upon 
 greateft neceftity to be fought 5 Sin 
 and Mifery, fuch a degradation of its 
 Life, that the Scripture calls them 
 Death, are by all means to be avoid- 
 ed and efcaped from .• And feeing it 
 hath a Secret of its own Freedom, that 
 no Spiritual Principality or Power can 
 enter into or invade, it can onely 
 charge its Ruine upon it felf: But in 
 the Supreme Spirit, God himfelf is all 
 its ftrength, who perpetuates his firft 
 
 I In- 
 
1 1 4 tZTtje ©?eat ®oul of $)at% 
 
 Infpiration, maintains its Immunities, 
 guides its Motions aright when it had 
 loft it felf, redeems it from that great 
 Enemy-Spirit by his Son , the Lover 
 and great Friend of Souls 5 governs 
 it by his own Holy and Good Spirit, 
 and is the Happinefs and Glory of it 
 for ever. Oh the care that is due to 
 fuch a Soul as this ! A care due from 
 it ftlf to it felf, yet miferably negle- 
 &ed by it felf, in its true felf, for it 
 felf, as engag'd in a Body, out of 
 which it is yet always hafting , and 
 leaves it in death 3 it (elf being in 
 greatefl: danger of a death exceeding- 
 ly worfe, though of another nature 3 
 in the bringing about of which, the 
 malice of Hell is always bufie and em- 
 ploy'd, chufing that as a much higher 
 efFedfc of its fpite and cruelty , than 
 Annihilation, if it had been within 
 the Power of Devils to turn a Soul 
 into nothing. 
 
 6. Laftly , What unfpeakable Sen- 
 timents of Happinefs or Mifery doth 
 a felf moving , a felf communicating 
 Spirit enter into, when it enters into 
 its own place ! For there it meets 
 thofe immenfe Objefts, God, his Fa- 
 vour or Difpleafure, the true appear- 
 ances 
 
ttbe ©;eat ®oul of $)am 1 1 $ 
 
 ancesof Sin and Holineft, the Gene- 
 ral Aflembly of Spirits, happy and 
 miferable, with their univerfal and 
 endlefs Condition : It (elf appearing 
 to it felf in its full extent of Nature, 
 Duration, and Relation to all thefe. 
 Now its (elf-motion and (elf-commu- 
 nication (which are its very Being, 
 and therefore perfeft in its own na- 
 tive Element) are aftive to the high- 
 eft. Self-motion turns it every way, , 
 with unutterable fwiftnefs , upon 
 thefe Objefts 5 and Self-communica- 
 tion makes all its own, converts unin- 
 termittingly all its Obfervations upon 
 them , into molt beatifying or affli- 
 ctive Refentments, according to the 
 Order it ftands in to thofe Obje&s of 
 Happinefs or Mifery. 
 
 Two principal Accounts of the Soul 
 of Man are now difpatch'd } the firft, 
 of Invifible Beings , the fecond, of the 
 Nature of a Spirit } in which I laid 
 down for a Ground, That the Right 
 apprehenfion of the Divine Nature 
 and Being, is the Key of the Know- 
 ledge of Mans Soul. As therefore I 
 endeavour' d to explain thofe two 
 Points by it, fo I come now more fol- 
 ly to purfue the Refemblance the Soul 
 
 I 2 of 
 
1 1 6 tpje tf>?eat Soul of Q$m. 
 
 of Man hath with God , and in this 
 next place to fpeak of it in the Po- 
 tency, Force, and Excellency of its 
 Being and Faculties } firft taking oc- 
 cafion to make this induftrious Refle- 
 xion upon the Souls likenefs to God. 
 
 It is an ufual Obfervation, That 
 every Creature refembles God in that 
 very regard that it hath a Being, 
 however obfcure it be 3 and the more 
 any Creature advances in Being, the 
 clearer the Reprefentation of God, 
 till the Scale of Creatures leads us up 
 to thofe that God hath exalted into 
 the neareft likenefs to himfelf that 
 Created Natures are capable of 5 and 
 thefe are Rational Spirit s^ Angels, and 
 Souls of Men 3 of which, Angels are 
 a higher Order, and at greater Free- 
 dom, being out of Bodies 3 and the 
 Souls of Men a lower Order , being 
 under the difadvantage of Bodies 3 
 yet in themfelves like to God, and like 
 to "Angels. 
 
 Now it is the Privilege of Spirits 
 to behold in the whole Creation, efpe- 
 cially in their own Natures, the great 
 Perfe&ions of God furmounting them- 
 felves (and much more the reft of the 
 Creatures) as Infinite doth Finite 5 
 
 that 
 
€&e Gm t Soul of 9 am 1 1 7 
 
 that fo God may be underftood, and 
 accordingly ador'd by them $ feeing 
 Spirits in his own Image of Under- 
 ftanding and Likenefs can alone fo far 
 know him , as in a true and proper 
 fenfe to adore him : and the Glory of 
 God in (uch an Adoration being the 
 end of Creation, it argues the necef- 
 fity of fuch Creatures, and fo accom- 
 plifh'd, thus to give him his Glory. 
 
 As therefore, by reviews of the 
 Creatures in general, and particularly 
 of our own Minds, and by Obferva- 
 tions of what excclls amongft all, it 
 is poffible without Scripture, though 
 more darkly, to find out the Perfefti- 
 ons that are to be afcrib'd infinitely 
 to God, and when we come to Scri- 
 pture, and find that agreeing with 
 (though exceeding) Natural Know- 
 ledge, in its Attributions to God, we 
 have by this combination of Scripture 
 and Realbn, Revealed and Natural 
 Knowledge, (the preeminence being 
 eafily yielded to Revealed) the moft 
 fatisfying Aflurances of God we can 
 have. 
 
 On the other fide, by confidering 
 the Excellencies and Perfeftions attri- 
 buted to God in his Word, and find- 
 I 3 iog 
 
1 1 8 Vl>e ®;eat ©oul of $>atn 
 
 ing the (ame Lines drawn upon our 
 own Minds, obfervable both in the 
 Difcourfes of Scripture concerning 
 them, and in our own experience 
 (though but according to the degree 
 and model of Creatures) we under- 
 ftand our own Souls more fully 5 fo 
 that, as the confideration of our (elves 
 & the Creatures, leads us without Re- 
 velation to underftand God, though 
 not fo clearly 5 fo theft Oracles re- 
 vealing God , and all his Attributes 
 more certainly and evidently to us, 
 reveal alfb our (elves more plainly, 
 becauft they tell us, we are made in 
 his Image and Lil^enefs 5 and fo by 
 knowing God with greateft clearnefs, 
 we know our (elves alfo molt clearly: 
 for the Knowledge of our (elves (as to 
 what concerns the clearnefs of it) de- 
 pends upon our Knowledge of God 
 by the Scriptures, more than our 
 Knowledge of God depends upon the 
 Knowledge of our felves by Natural 
 Knowledge, without Scripture/ Yet 
 ftill the Knowledge of our own Souls, 
 Where Men have no Revelation, leads 
 them beft to the Knowledge of God 5 
 as the Knowledge of God by Reve- 
 lation, leads us beft to the Knowledge 
 
 of 
 
tt&e <85jeat ©oul of 8&)arn 1 i 9 
 
 of our own Souls 3 becaufe God and 
 the Soul do mutually reprefent one 
 another : God, the Original Proto- 
 type, and Infinite Exemplar 5 Man's 
 Soul, the humble Representation and 
 Copy : Upon which Reafon the Apo- 
 ftle having faid, We are his off-ffring^ Arts i 7 , 
 immediately argues, Forafmuch as we a8 » 2 ^ 
 are the off- faring of God, we ought not 
 to thin\ the Godhead like to Jilver 
 and gold. Our own Nature deriving 
 from God, inftru&s us better concern- 
 ing him : for feeing we our felves far 
 excel all thoie things, however height- 
 ned by Art, he that gave us thofe Ex- 
 cellencies, muft needs have them in 
 himfelf, and in a transcendency 3 As 
 he that built the houfe, hath more ho- 
 nour than the houfe, and the Life ex- 
 cels the Pifture : So , on the other 
 fide, the Excellencies and Perfe&ions 
 of the Divine Being are every where 
 given us in Scripture as the Rule of 
 Compofure for Man's Soul 5 which 
 could not be reafonable, were not the 
 being of it firft given in the Image 
 and Likenefs of God , and fufceptive 
 of the Divine Nature^ that is, of the 
 Virtues of it. 
 
 Touching the Souls Likenefs to 
 I 4 Angels, 
 
1 20 C&e ©#at ®oul of $Dan* 
 
 Angels, we need not labour much, 
 but rather in comparing them with 
 God the Original of both, and occa- 
 sionally onely illuftrate the Doftrine 
 of the Soul, by obfervation of what 
 we are taught in inlpir'd Leaves con- 
 cerning them, though Philofophy 
 hath not been altogether ignorant 
 % herein. In general, they are of a 
 middle ftate between God and us 5 
 nearer to God , in that they are a 
 higher Rank of Spirits, difengag'd 
 from Body 5 much nearer to us, in that 
 they are Finite Spirits, and God infi- 
 nitely above them. 
 
 In fpeaking then of the Likenefs of 
 Mans Soul to God, we muft again 
 have recourfe to his Creation, and 
 when God had faid, Let us make Man 
 in our own Likenefs and Image^ and 
 form'd the Body, as a curious Statua- 
 ry doth a moft exafr Statue, he then 
 breattid into it the Breath of Life. 
 Now this Breathing of God argues, 
 he gave a great femblance of himfelf, 
 and that God deriv'd fomething from 
 himfelf to Man s Soul , that (hould 
 more immediately exprefs himfelf, and 
 Was taken from himfelf as the Life. 
 fhus our Saviour breath' d upon his 
 
 dgoflles^ 
 
tllje <5?eat soul of ®att* 121 
 
 Apoftles, and made them Partakers of 
 a Spirit that had a great Likenefs to 
 his own, in the Infallibility and Hea- 
 venlinefs of his Doftrine, the Power 
 of working Miracles, the Holinefs of 
 their Miniftry, and whole Apoftolick 
 Fun&ion. God breathing Mans Soul, 
 it became fo like him, that fome have 
 called it, A Particle of the Divinity, a 
 Kifs of God, an Imprint of himfelf. 
 
 Now this Likenefs of Man's Soul 
 to God , I believe not to be firft in 
 thole moral Refemblances of the 
 Truth, Holinefs, and Goodnefs of 
 God, which fpeak God the beft, and 
 in which to be like God, is Mans Re- 
 dtitude and Integrity, and the Foun- 
 dation of his Happinefs as a Rational 
 Agent, nor onely in the Intelle&ual 
 Faculties 3 but alfo in thofe Attributes 
 which fpeak God the Greateft, though 
 thefe be in this prefent ftate of Man 
 much obfcured, even as the other. 
 
 Of the Soul of Man, an Invifible 
 Spirit, hath been already difcours'd : 
 Of other the Greatneffes of God gi- 
 ving a glance, an eye of themfelves 
 upon Mans Soul, we may alfo appre- 
 hend 5 
 
 There is a Refemblance of his Infi- 
 
 nitenefs 
 
1 2 2 Cfee ©?eat ©oui of $)am 
 
 nitenefs and Ubiquity of Prefence, in 
 that fwift and fudden Motion of Mans 
 Soul from Eaft to Weft , fummoning 
 things of fartheft diftance into its pre- 
 fence by Thought and Intellectual 
 Confideration , the Intelligence he 
 endeavours to hold with all the A&i- 
 on and Bufineft of the World , both 
 Natural, Civil, and Moral 3 the Cor- 
 refpondency he hath with Things Di- 
 vine and Heavenly. The Freedom 
 and Liberty of the Increated Will is 
 reflefted in fome degree in the Liber- 
 ty of Mans Will, that can be no way 
 fore d or compell'd $ in the vaftnefs 
 of his Appetite and Defire , which 
 though now irregular, yet fpeaks the 
 Original Greatneft of his Soul , and 
 that Joy unfpeakable he was intended 
 for .• The Dominion of God, in Mans 
 Dominion over the Creatures, and the 
 vaft and reftlefi Ambition and Defire 
 of Power and Empire fo natural to 
 hun : The Eternity of God , in the 
 Immortality, and at laft Unchangea- 
 blenefs given to Mans Soul : The Di- 
 vine Bleflednefs , in the Luftre and 
 Glory Man afiefts, the Well-being he 
 lb inseparably from his Nature defires, 
 the Happinefs he is capable of, to 
 
 which 
 
€&e ©?eat ®oul of $)am 1 2 3 
 
 which he was defign d, and to which 
 he is exalted by the Salvation of 
 Chrifi. From hence there is fome- 
 thing like Creation, in the great 
 Works that have been done by Men $ 
 and fomething in Humane Contrivan- 
 ces and Adminiftrations, like Provi- 
 dence* 
 
 And that there is a Force and Po- 
 tency of Mans Spirit, in a propor- 
 tion refembling that Power of God 
 that brings Things to pafs in Matter, 
 or like the force of Angels, that have 
 wrought upon Matter beyond all the 
 Activity that Matter can be fet into 
 by any Material Agency, is not with- 
 out probability, from the more than 
 ordinary vigorous Aftion and great 
 Strength of fome Men , as Samfon y 
 and fome others of unufual Force : 
 For I am much inclin'd, under the 
 Divine Efficacy concurring, to afcribe 
 fuch Might to the Soul, either acting 
 it felf by extraordinary Organs and 
 Inftruments of Body prepar'd and fit- 
 ted for that Might, as in Gyants, and 
 fuch like , or that God may have made t 
 ufe of fome Good Men, in a degree 
 like the Angels, letting out the Pow- 
 ers of their Souls through their Bo- 
 dies 
 
1 2 4 Cfye ®?eac Soul of $tem 
 
 dies into A&ions, above the genera- 
 lity of Mankind 5 to which I am very 
 fubjeft to attribute thofe Famous 
 Affs recorded by the Apoftle, Hebr. 
 11. 33, 34. 7#ejf fubdued Kingdoms •, 
 flopped the mouths of Lions ^ quenched 
 the violence of Fire , efcaped the edge 
 of the fvpord , out of weakpefs were 
 made ftrong^ waxed valiant in Fight y 
 put to flight the Armies of the Aliens: 
 For , though thefe 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 Right eoufnefs, obtaining Pro- 
 mifes, not accepting deliverance^ that 
 they might be partakers of a better 
 ReJurreSfion , require as fupernatural 
 an affiftance of Mind, in this degene- 
 racy of Mankind , and do as much 
 exceed the Poffibilities of the Soul, fo 
 fujik and degraded, as the other do 
 the Powers of a Spirit (hut up in 
 Flefh, and in this State of Humiliati- 
 on : And yet certainly all A&s of 
 Goodnefs and Obedience to God, are 
 connatural to the true and unfallen 
 Condition of Mankind. 
 
 Now what the Skill and Force of 
 
tEtye 6;eat % oul of 2©an* 12s 
 
 a Spirit not reftrain'd and confin'd 
 to work by juft fuch Inftruments of 
 Body, is in moving Matter with great- 
 eft advantage, and moft fuccefsful 
 operation , is to us hard to be de- 
 fin'd 5 for the Motion and A&ivity 
 of it is Intelle&ual, and (as we ordi- 
 narily conceive) that alone is a feeble 
 thing 5 yet when we come to obferve 
 what is attributed to Divine Under- 
 ftanding, That by Wifdom the Lord Prov.j. 
 founded the Earth , and by Vnder- I9# 
 fianding he ejiablijhed and garnzfied 
 the Heavens $ and that he onely de- 
 clared by his Word the Pleafure and 
 Determination of his Underftanding, 
 in the creating every thing, we may 
 be very ready to conceive Infinite 
 Underftanding is Infinite Power , and 
 when Wifdom fays, I am Vnderjland- Pro?. 3. 
 ing y I have Strength^ it gives us the ,4 * 
 Notion of Infinite Underftanding, as 
 Infinite Strength : and if we confider, 
 WiOom and Power are one in God, 
 it ftill heightens the apprehenfion: 
 and further , if we underftand, with 
 many Divines, the Son of God to be 
 this Wifdom^ the Notion is yet rais'd 
 higher, and we underftand the more 
 by it the Omnipotency of WilHom. 
 
 Creation 
 
126 C&e ©?eat ©oul of $)an* 
 
 Creation then is the very Effeft of 
 Infinite Underftanding 3 and as all 
 Conceptions, Arguments, Reafbns of 
 Difcourfe , are the unqueftionable 
 Creatures of our Underftanding 5 (6 
 all things that are in the World are 
 the Effeds of Infinite Underftanding: 
 the World is the Creature of Divine 
 Underftanding. His very conceiving 
 things, with a pleafure they iliould be, 
 Pfal.33 9. gave them Being 5 He fpake the word, 
 and it was done 5 he commanded, and 
 it flood faft : He called to the Heavens, 
 and they flood up together : There 
 was no other Power us'd by God,that 
 we read of. Thus Men of great Au- 
 thority fit ftill, and fpeak things ihto 
 their Execution. As for the mighty 
 A&s of Angels recorded in Scripture^ 
 they are veiled as to the manner of 
 their being brought to pafs, and the 
 Efficiency that did produce them 5 
 onely we read in that Emblem of the 
 Prophet Ezekjel, wherein all World- 
 ly things are prefented as governed by 
 God , and adminiftred by Angels, 
 that the various Rotations and Chan- 
 ges in this World , fhadowed by 
 Wheels , are full of Eyes , that is, of 
 the Wifiiom of God, the Supreme 
 
 Mo- 
 
H&e©?eat Soul of £tam *v 
 
 derator of them , and that they are 
 mov'd on by the Motion of Angels : 
 For the Spirit of the Living Creatures Ezek. i, 
 (by which Angels are exprefs'd) was » 8 > 20 * 
 in the Wheels $ and when thefe went, 
 the Wheels "went s and when thefe 
 flood ftitt, the Wheels flood fiill 3 
 This Spirit of the Living Creatures 
 managed all : So that it looks to us, 
 as if the Angels did all by their Spi- 
 rit or EfTence , and that we know is 
 Intelle&ual : Eyes in the Wheels, and 
 the Spirit in the Wheels, turn'd all 
 about. The Angels are Underftand- 
 ings inferiour to God onely, and their 
 Efficacy is reprefented to us by Light- 
 ning, or the moft vehement Flame of 
 Fire. When we come down to Man, 
 we find the Creatures in great fubje- 
 ftion to Adam 3 and there is reafon Gcnef.: 
 to think, it was to his Underftanding 20. 
 they paid their Homage : For as an 
 Introdu&ion to his Rule over them, 
 they were brought to him by God, 
 to receive their Names from him 5 and 
 according to his infight into their 
 Natures , he called them all by their 
 Names, and fo entred into his Domi- 
 nion over them , by underftanding 
 them , and declaring his underftand- 
 ing 
 
1 28 C(je &wt ©ouf of ©art. 
 
 ing of them. This was the folemti 
 Aft of his Inauguration into his In- 
 telle&ual Government. Even as God, 
 who governeth the Stars by his Infi- 
 Pfal.147. nite Underftanding, telleth the number 
 4 ' of the Stars , and calleth them all by 
 
 their names 5 thus the known Wifdom 
 of Men of great Underftanding com- 
 mands the Regard and Obedience of 
 thofe whom they have impos'd Names 
 of Office and Service upon. 
 
 In the generality of Mankind, let 
 us confider how immediately any, or 
 all the Members of the Body move, 
 upon the mod filent intimations of 
 the Underftanding , and follow its 
 guidance, twining every way, even 
 into the greateft Curiofities of Art 5 
 ftretching themfelves to the moft in* 
 duftrious and laborious Employments, 
 adventuring themfelves upon the 
 greateft Hazards. We fee , that in- 
 deed all things that are done by Men 
 in the World, begin at the Counfel, 
 Defign, and Intendments of Under- 
 ftanding 5 and that the Contrivance 
 of one Mans Underftanding, diftating 
 to the Underftandings of thofe that 
 are under, hath been the Spring, and 
 given produ&ion to the mightieft Ef- 
 
 fefts,. 
 
C(je ©?eat Saul of $)am 1 2 9 
 
 fe&s, the wifeft Polities, the mod ex- 
 cellent Laws , huge Volumes , the 
 greateft Atchievements of Armies, the 
 moft magnificent Buildings, Eftablifh- 
 ments of Empire, the moft memora- 
 ble Proje&s and Works of Art , the 
 Force of ftrange Engines, or what- 
 ever is accounted of Grandeur in the 
 World .• The Force of Underftand- 
 ing hath been given and conveyed 
 from Hand to Hand, infinuated into 
 Matter, and fo paft'd from one Piece 
 and Part of it to another, till it hath 
 reach'd unto, and refted in the Effed. 
 All this put together, may be an Effay 
 concerning the Power of Underftand- 
 ing. 
 
 Now what ways Underftanding 
 hath to move Matter, immediately by 
 it felf, we are no competent Judges, 
 that have indeed Underftandings, but 
 generally fo reftrain'd and impri- 
 fon'd , that they can find the way of 
 doing little, in comparifon of what 
 may be done by that uncontrovertible 
 way of accomplishing Effe&s by the 
 mediatory Services of Matter : One- 
 ly this we know , When there was 
 neither Matter to work upon , nor 
 work with, Infinite Underftanding 
 K brought 
 
1 3c €fje ©?eat ®oul of $)atn 
 
 brought forth Matter, and ftirr'd it as 
 he pleas'd. And though there is no 
 cofflparifon between Underftanding 
 Finite, and Infinite 5 yet by this it ap- 
 pears, there is no contradi&ion for 
 Underftanding to produce Matter, 
 when there was none 5 nor to move 
 it, when it is. We know too, there 
 muft be fome way , by which our 
 Souls, though acknowledged to be 
 Spirits, move our Bodies, known 
 enough to be grofs and material, and 
 that meerly by Thought and Confide- 
 ration what is to be done 3 and that 
 they obey them fpeedily, and with 
 eafe : although we are not able to ex- 
 pedite all the Queftions that may be 
 mov'd in relation hereunto. 
 
 In the furn , I think it not to be 
 doubted, but that many of the extra- 
 ordinary and wonderful Atchieve- 
 ments of Men , the even prodigious 
 Valours and mighty Prevalencies of 
 ♦ fome Warn ours, that have in heat of 
 Fight mov'd like Lightning, have 
 been the true and proper Effe&s and 
 Sallies out of a Soul, through the 
 Freedoms given by God. to fuch Per- 
 fons, for the bringing about thofe 
 Changes he hath refolv'd upon , by 
 
 their 
 
tEfee ©jeat ©oitl of $)atn 1 3 1 
 
 their Viftorioufnefs and Cotiquefts. 
 And, to conclude, in all thofe things 
 that have been done by Men , not 
 plainly miraculous, nor exceeding the 
 Power of Created Spirits, I know no 
 reafbn why the Wonder fhould be 
 plac'd any where elfe, but upon that 
 admirable Freedom fuch Souls, by 
 efpecial Grant from God, have had to 
 work like themfelves, and fo to ex- 
 ceed the ordinary Operations of 
 Men. And though this doth not 
 equal their prefent State to, nor bring 
 up their Services to the Services of 
 Angels, that Order of Creatures God 
 in his Wifdom hath appointed for the 
 greater and more remarkable Expe- 
 ditions and Aftions in the World, as 
 being always ready, and, as we fay, in 
 procinSu^ excelling in prepared and 
 uhincumbred firength , always upon 
 the guard, and hearkning to the voice 
 of his word : yet in that fuch great 
 and mighty Workj do foe w forth them* 
 felves in the Soul, and there have been 
 fo great and wonderful Perfons in all 
 Ages, of Famous Memory in their fc- 
 veral kinds and vermes, in whom the 
 Greatnefs of this Soul hath broken 
 forth 5 it is a marvellous Inftance,that 
 
 Ks the 
 
i2 2 Hty ©jeat Soul of #am 
 
 the Soul of Man is a Great , Potent, 
 and Excellent Spirit , of vaft A&ivi- 
 ties in its own Nature 3 and that it 
 hath a near refemblance of God, and 
 Alliance to Angels : that however it 
 be for a little time made lower than 
 Angels^ yet it (hall be brought into a 
 Condition wherein it (hall be iwyjta©-, 
 equal to Angels. 
 
 For though I make no doubt fome 
 Men have greater Souls than others, 
 as one Star differs from another in 
 Magnitude , and as Bodies differ in 
 Strength, Beauty, and Proportion 3 
 yet there is the main Excellency of a 
 Humane Body, wherein all agree : So 
 it is in the Souls of Men 3 the Soul of 
 one Man is a Meafure, and carries 
 the Pourtraidure of the Souls of 
 Men in their Univerfal Nature 5 even 
 as face anfwers Face in the water^ (6 
 the Soul of oae Man returns the Soul 
 of another Man. 
 
 Againft all this it lies as a great 
 Obje&ion , That the greateft Effe&s 
 of a Soul we can obferve , are not 
 great and high enough for fuch a Be- 
 ing as I have defcrib'd Mans Soul to 
 be 3 and the great Effe&s we do fee, 
 are found onely in fome leffer num- 
 bers 
 
UTtje ®?eat Soul of ®am 133 
 
 bers of Men. Let us then inquire in- 
 to thele two things 5 Why the Effe&s 
 are not greater, wherein Souls difplay 
 themfelves ? and , Why we fee them 
 not more generally and univerfally 
 among Men ? 
 
 For the firft, it is to be confidered, 
 The Soul in the Body is like an Arti- 
 ficer, that works by a very dull and 
 unapt Inftrument , though himfelf of 
 excellent Skill 3 like a valiant War- 
 riour with a Sword of Lead , or as 
 Sam fin , if confin'd to the general 
 Laws of Humane Nature, he had 
 fought with the Jaw-bone of an Afs 
 onely 3 or like the Eye, though ne- 
 ver fo quick, looking through a dull 
 Glafs, or in a Dark Room 5 or like 
 a ftrong and valorous Man in a Cage, 
 or clofe Dungeon 5 or like a Light in 
 a Dark Lantern 5 or like a ftrong Man 
 afleep : All this is the State of the 
 Soul in the Body 3 or like a Prince of 
 Juft Authority, in Captivity 5 or like 
 a Jewel clos'd up in Clay 5 or a Beau- 
 ty (hrouded under a courfe Cover- 
 ing. 
 
 To judge of the Soul now, and 
 
 according to fuch Rules as it ads by 
 
 in the Body , that it (hall never be 
 
 K 3 greater 
 
i34 Vt)e ®jeat ®oul of 30an* 
 
 greater and more a&ive than it ap- 
 pears , is to conclude the Soul of a 
 Child fhall never (hew it felf greater 
 and more aftive than it appears while 
 the Child is in Swadling Clothes: 
 Or, as if the Infant in the Cloyfter of 
 the Womb , could make a Judgment 
 of it felf, and think it felf in as good 
 a condition, or better, than it {hould 
 be in the open Air$ and that what it 
 is there, it muft be always. The Soul 
 ftps now through a glafs darkjy.^ and 
 is in the condition of a Child, and of 
 a Child (hut up in the Womb. 
 
 That the Body is now a great hin- 
 derance to the Soul , is apparent by 
 the neceffity that the Soul muft be fe- 
 parated from it, and that it muft be 
 diflolv'd into Duji> or changed 5 and 
 that in the Refurre&ion, our Bodies 
 muft be Spiritual Bodies , fit to caft 
 the Glories and difplay the Excellen- 
 cies of a Soul, to difcharge the Acti- 
 vities of the higheft Elevation of a 
 Spirit. But to return to the prefent 
 State of the Soul in the Body, why it 
 is order 'd thus ? that the Body (hould 
 be fuch an Inftrument out of Tune, to 
 the Soul, fuch an excellent Harmonift 3 
 fUch a Dungeon to the Mind, Prince- 
 ly 
 
tE&e (Sjeat Soul of $)atn 1 5 5 
 
 ly in its Creation. We may give it 
 thus. 
 
 In the very firft and raoft innocent 
 ftate, the Soul was fo framed by God, 
 that though the Powers of it were 
 much larger than Body, and indepen- 
 dent upon it , yet that they fhould 
 for a certain feafon be reftrain'd to 
 the Body, to govern, take care of, 
 and aft it according to its Nature and 
 Meafures, according to its Preparati- 
 ons to run along under the Powers 
 of the Soul, in their Motion, and not 
 be deftroy'd by the over-vehemency. 
 
 This Body the Soul was able and 
 fit to aft to the utmoft of its Capaci- 
 ties, and far beyond them 5 and yet 
 it was fo moderated, as not to over- 
 aft them : but it could not raife this 
 Body, or the Matter of it, above its 
 Natural Excellency .• That was re- 
 ftrv'd in the Creators Power alone, 
 as a Reward of the Souls Obedience 
 in that Body for the prefent time al- 
 lotted to it. 
 
 The Soul could not make the Bo- 
 dy what it would have it be, or fit 
 it to all it would have it do, when it 
 found it fhort : It could not enable 
 body to all things a Soul had Power 
 K 4 for, 
 
1 3 6 CDe ©?eat ©oul of $)am 
 
 for, or a defire to : For it was but a 
 i Cor. 15. Living Soul, and not a ghtickning 
 45* «^/>// 5 that is. It had a Life given it 
 
 by God, and fucha Life, that it fhould 
 be always a Living Soul, that it 
 ftiould never decay, and fall down in- 
 to a Dead Thing 5 and fo it could 
 retain its own Life, againft any one 
 but the Author of it, and lofe none 
 of that } for this power it had recei- 
 ved from God 5 and what it found fit- 
 ted by God to its Aftivity, and con- 
 venience to its Life, it could aft, 
 quicken, and manage: But it was not 
 a guickping Spirit 5 that is, It had 
 not power to make or give a new 
 Life, to continue a Body in Life, or 
 to raifc a Dead Body, or make it 
 more Excellent or Lively than it 
 found it prepared by God.* It had 
 not a Power like the Firji-begotten 
 from the Dead, who can make cor- 
 ruptible put on Incorruption, and mor- 
 tal put on Immortality, and be even 
 fwallowed up of Life } who can change 
 our vile Bodies, that they may be made 
 like his glorious Body, by a Tower 
 that fubdues all things to it felfi So 
 m then, though the Soul could work to 
 the utraoft extent of Matter and Bo- 
 
ttlje 0?tat ©out of ®an* 137 
 
 dy, and fill all Bodily Capacities, 
 yet it could not exceed them, nor 
 aft according to it felf, becaufe it 
 was confin'd in Body } but muft 
 work and aft onely as the Soul of 
 fuch a Body : nor could it quicken 
 and advance Body , as it would it 
 felf, nor better it above its Rank and 
 Order fet by the Creator } and there- 
 fore the Soul could difplay it felf, 
 and its own Spirituality, onely fo far 
 as Body, made by God, the Body of 
 this Soul, could receive and convey 
 into Aftion. 
 
 And though this was enough, not 
 onely to prefer Man to the top of 
 this Lower Creation , and to make 
 him under the Creator Lord of All? 
 but to affrae enough, a greater than 
 Body, even a Spirit was there: yet it 
 could not difcover , how great and 
 potent this Spirit was. 
 
 Thus the Soul was fubmitted by 
 the wife Ordination of God , to re- 
 tire, keep home, and dwell in a Bo- 
 dy , being at the very firft let in an 
 Orb lower than it felf, and to manage 
 fewer and lejfer Talents, according to 
 the State of the Lower Creation; 
 and fo by its Obedience, Fidelity, and 
 
 Im- 
 
1 3 8 Hfce ©?eat Soul of $&m* 
 
 Improvement, to be advanc'd to rich- 
 er and more Talents , and to a Rule 
 over greateji Cities*, that is, to be 
 exalted to the Heights and full Glory 
 of a perfe&eft 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 3 fitted to it 
 onely according to the Lower State of 
 Man in this World, not according to 
 that Supreme State of Immortality 5 
 but differing as much from that , as 
 poffibility not to die, doth from an 
 Impoffibility to die* or as a Body Na- 
 tural, juft fit to entertain a Soul in a 
 temporary condition, and to yield it 
 felf to its difplays in a degree conve- 
 nient to that, differs from a Body Spi- 
 ritual ^ fram'd to bear and difcharge 
 all the higheft Spiritualities of a Soul, 
 in its unchangeable Eftate. 
 
 Yet this was much above the pre- 
 fent Condition of Body under Sin 3 
 even as Innocency , and the Order, 
 Beauty, and Goodnels wherein Man 
 was firft enftated by God, excell the 
 Guilt, unnatural Deformity, and Con- 
 fufion he labours under now: Since 
 Sin and Difobedience, the Souls man- 
 ner 
 
C&e ©*eat Soul of $)am 139 
 
 ner of Habitation in Body, is fallen 
 much lower 5 and it is carefully to be 
 confider'd, how it fell lower : for it 
 cannot be conceived, that any thing 
 Ihould be abated from the Life, Vi- 
 gour, and Force of the Soul it felf.* 
 The Soul lofes onely in the Holy and 
 Happy State of it, without any dimi- 
 nution in its EflTence, or Effential 
 Life 5 for it cannot lofe in the de- 3 
 grees of thofe : It rauft lofe in the 
 whole , or not at all 5 being one, 
 whole, intire, indivifible Self, as hath 
 been before afferted : And thus it is 
 onely a competent Subjeft for the 
 Happinefs or Mifery of Eternity , of 
 which Fallen Angels are a plain In- 
 ftance, who, notwithftanding their 
 Fall, continue Principalities ^ and 
 Powers, and Dominions , and though 
 Wickedneffes , yet Spiritual Wicked- 
 nejfes , and in High Places. The 
 Soul then lofing nothing thus , the 
 Life, Vigour, and Vertue of its Na- 
 ture muft lie clofe , accumulated 
 and folded up, where there is not 
 room for an Explanation and free 
 Expatiation 5 as Light , that could 
 reach much further, when ftopp'd by 
 any Dark Body, is reverberated into 
 it felf. We 
 
140 Zty finest ©ou! of $tett* 
 
 We muft therefore conceive, that, 
 as a Punilhtnent upon the Sin of Man, 
 there is a great withdrawing of Di- 
 vine Blefling from the Lower Creati- 
 on 3 upon which enliies an interrupti- 
 on of the benign Order of Things 
 one towards another, fo that they 
 are continually at teud, and in conteft 
 one with another, hindering, difturb- 
 ing, and mutually abating the Force, 
 and working to the deftru&ion one of 
 another : to all which Inconveniences 
 the Humane Body becomes fubjeft, 
 and both in regard of its Temper and 
 Compofition, more fubjeft than ma- 
 ny other parts of Matter 5 for its 
 Strength is not the Strength of Stones, 
 nor its Flejh of Brafs , 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 raoft liable to the Curfe : The 
 Soul then, whofe Body was at firft 
 too narrow for all its Efficacies, is 
 now limited to one, unequal to any 
 one of them , and very difturbing of 
 their Execution. 
 
 For fometimes , by the oppreflion 
 of other Parts of Matter upon this 
 Bpdy, all the livelier and brisker Par- 
 ticles 
 
HL\)t 6 ?c at ©oul of $9an ♦ 141 
 
 tides of it are fqueez'd out and ex- 
 haled , whereby it becomes dull and 
 inftagriated} fometimes it is overheat- 
 ed into furious and inordinate motion, 
 and fo weakned and difordered in its 
 great' end of ferving the Soul. 
 
 The Soul on the other fide lofing 
 nothing of it felf, yet being funk 
 down from the Intelle&ual Spiritual 
 Life, and from the Happinefs therein 
 to be found, which is its true 
 Sphere, becomes alfo negligent of act- 
 ing and invigorating the Body , and 
 guiding the Service of it to fiich wor- 
 thy Ends 3 and with a wilful fupine- 
 nefs falls down into the Animal Life, 
 and prefently finding what State and 
 Temper that Body with which it is 
 joyn'd is of, carries it felf, with all 
 its Powers, almoft wholly thither. 
 
 If it be a duller Matter or Body, it 
 ftays its own Effluxes, the Stream of 
 its Motion, and taftes its Life and 
 Enjoyment in that floathfulnels and 
 fluggifhnefs of Flefti, as it were for- 
 getting it hath any greater Virtue, 
 Force, or other Office, than what 
 ferves to the maintenance of ib low 
 a Life 5 that the Soul wilfully ener- 
 vates, and deadens its own A&ivity, 
 
 by 
 
t42 Cfre $?eat Soul of $tan. 
 
 by flumbring it in the drowfinefifof a 
 lazie Body 3 fo that this Sloath be- 
 comes the greateft of all Sloath* be- 
 caufe of the Pleaftire this mighty Spi- 
 rit hath in that Sloath, having found 
 it to be the Temper of that Matter 
 wherein it hath (heath'd it felf; there 
 being in this very Sloath, as Philofo- 
 phers teach of Reft of Bodies, as 
 forcible and great a Caufe, 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 fothe Fire 
 lies dill and does nothing : to fuch 
 Solomon cries out , Tet a little Jleep % 
 a little Jtumber, a little folding of the 
 hands to Jleep 5 the defcription of an 
 eridlefs and incurable Sloath, Prov. 24. 
 33. If the Body be a Compofure 
 more lively and fpirituous, and apt to 
 overheat , the Soul prefently finds 
 this, and committing it (elf to the In- 
 clinations of Body , fuch Propenfions 
 are promoted and inraged, according 
 to the mighty Force of a Soul, into 
 the Excefles of Luft, Rage, and all 
 Intemperance, beyond the very Brui- 
 tifli Nature, that hath no fuch Spirit 
 toaft it .• and thus alfo the Might of 
 
 the 
 
COe ©?eat ®oul of ©am 1 4 3 
 
 the Soul is loft, as the Force of the 
 Fire with the Powder in a crack'd or 
 foul Gun, that is fcatter'd, and recoils 
 with mifchief 3 or as an over-meafure 
 of Powder, taking fire without dire- 
 ction 5 the EffeS of which is the 
 (laughter and deftru&ion of all about 
 it. So that every way nothing is at- 
 chieved worthy the Greatnefe of this 
 Spirit. 
 
 Thus the Soul is doubly difabled 
 by Matter , wherein it is ftt 5 both 
 becaufe that Matter is fubjed to fo ma- 
 ny diforders, that can no way be perfe* 
 dly cured , and fo it is unfit for the 
 Souls ufe; and alfb, becaufe the Soul 
 crowds up its own A&ivities into a 
 contentment with what it finds moft 
 natural and ready in that Matter with 
 which it is joyned, complies with it, 
 and troubles it felf no further to 
 amend it : and the longer things con- 
 tinue fo, the more ftifF and unreform- 
 able the Evil grows. All which put 
 together, is a plain Reafon, why there 
 are no greater Effe&s of a Soul in the 
 World, and how it comes to pa(s, 
 that the multitude of People in it 
 give no other evidence of a Soul,but 
 in a provifion of Natural Life, and 
 
 the 
 
i44 <El>e <£?eat Soul of ©an. 
 
 the Senlualities of Lift, fomewhat 
 above the Rank of Beafts. 
 
 Now upon the utmoft ftretch of 
 this Reafon , there would be no Ex- 
 amples of greater Vertue or Heroick- 
 ne(s among Men : But becaufe this 
 State both of the Body and the Soul 
 is below the Gracioufnefs of the firft 
 Creation, and that there are moft 
 merciful Relaxations of the Punifh- 
 ment due to the Sin of Man, and ma- 
 ny Advantages for the betterment 
 of both Soul and Body, vouchfafed 
 by God through Chrifi the Mediator, 
 whole Benefits extend to them that 
 do not know him 5 hence it is, that 
 the State of Mankind excells it felf in> 
 many great Inftances. 
 
 For the Soul retaining its primitive 
 Vigour and Life, which are its very 
 Nature and Being , and Body being 
 capable of Refinement to better ufe, 
 by the care of the Soul in the Subli- 
 mation of it} even as Art polifties the 
 Rude Matter, dire&s it into the ufe- 
 fulnefs of any Inftrupent 5 as Chymi- 
 ftry purifies and exalts it , as the 
 Skill of the Apothecary correfts, and 
 makes it medicinable : fo the Soul 
 defigning to mend the Body, fets the 
 
 Chara- 
 
€(>e ©?eat Soul of $&m. *45 
 
 Chara&ers of Wifdom, Virtue, and 
 good Ingeny upon it, formes it to a 
 graceful Mine and Deportment, turns 
 and twifts the Motions of it to the 
 Curiofities of Artifice , chaftifts and 
 reforms it to the Precept! of Virtue, 
 and fubdues it to the Induftry of Stu- 
 dy and Contemplation, hardens it to 
 the fearlefs and refolv'd A&ions of 
 War, quickens it to Service in greateft 
 Works and Undertakings, with what- 
 ever el(e we fee in the World worthy 
 of consideration to this purpofe, be- 
 ing the Infpiration of Mind, and the 
 Performance of Body commanded by 
 it. 
 
 Now that which under fuch PreP- 
 fures excites the Souls of Men to thefe 
 Alpirings, muft chiefly be acknow- 
 ledged to Divine Impreflions, awa- 
 kening fome Mens Spirits to the ex- 
 ercife of their richer and worthier 
 Faculties 5 of which Scripture gives 
 abundant Teftimony in all kinds : 
 And under this, they may be afcrib'd 
 to the different Magnitudes of Souls, 
 or the more advantageous Bodies 
 Providence hath contriv'd for fome, 
 rather than for others 5 and then to 
 the Inftruftion and Examples that fall 
 
 L from 
 
146 €&e ©?eat ftoui of $)am 
 
 from fuch Perfons, as Influences from 
 the Heavenly Bodies, and have their 
 EfFedfo upon many, not onely of one 
 Age or Country , but of far diftant 
 Places, and fucceeding Times $ lb that 
 there have been ftill fpringing up great 
 and incomparable Perfons, Mirrours 
 of the Greatnefi and Potency of a 
 Humane Spirit , and their Aftions as 
 Monuments of it 3 and under them, 
 multitudes of others, though not of 
 fo high a degree, yet endeavouring to 
 raife themfelves fomewhat towards 
 the Excellencies of Humane Nature. 
 
 But why upon thele fo fair Advan- 
 tages the Excellency of Mans Soul is 
 not more generally retrived, may re- 
 ceive this farther Refolution. 
 
 As the Soul working by Body, muft 
 have a well fitted and prepared Body 
 to work immediately by 3 fo it's fur- 
 ther neceffary to its Operations by 
 Body i that there be a conveniency 
 and an accommodation of leveral In- 
 ftruments and Materials, befides and 
 beyond Body, for it to employ the 
 Minifteries of Body upon, and to 
 work at a diftance by, that the A&i- 
 on may be memorable and great. He 
 that will build , muft firft Jit down 
 
 and 
 
C&e ®jeat ©oul of $©atn 147 
 
 and count the Charge : The King that 
 goes to War^ muft conjider the Jirength 
 of hk Armies , the number of his 
 Men, the Conduft and Resolution of 
 his Captains, the fufficiency of his 
 Treafure : He that feparates himfelf 
 to intermeddle with all Knowledge^ 
 muft be furnifh'd with the external, as 
 well as the internal Means of Science 5 
 elfe his Succefs can never amount to 
 Eminency. 
 
 Now the prefent State of the World 
 is fo impoverith'd by the Sin of Man, 
 that it can (upply but Few, in compa- 
 nion of the Many 5 fo that the ftrait 
 and low Condition, the unattempting 
 Education and manner of Life, that 
 very many, the moft of Mankind are 
 confin'd to, by reafon of Want, fore- 
 prizes the nobler Darings of their 
 Mind, and plunges them fo low, that 
 they cannot eafily rile. The Experi- 
 ments of this Cafe have been very no- 
 table in fundry Perfons, whofe Souls 
 have been kept low, and fupprefs'd 
 by the lownefsand narrownels of (as 
 they are call'd) their Fortunes 5 but 
 lave fpread and (bar'd aloft , when 
 heir Sphere of Aftion hath been 
 made more ample and high, by accef- 
 L 2 fion 
 
1 48 tKje &?eat @oul of $&am 
 
 (ion of thofe 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 excelled 5 feeing their 
 Souls have, as it were, ftarted out in 
 their riper years to worthy Menages, 
 being encouraged by plenty of Means, 
 when their Education had been for- 
 did. And the fame thing is propor- 
 tionably to be believ'd of very many, 
 who yet live and die obfcure and con- 
 ceal'd , and their name in darknefs y 
 through Prejudices of a poor Condi- 
 tion , while their Souls are in them- 
 (elves as great as any. 
 
 And indeed , it is not intended by 
 God, the.., degenerate State of this 
 World fhould be fo noble or free, as 
 to bear up the true and native Great- 
 nefs of Souls in a Multitude, and at 
 their full extent of Action 5 any more 
 than he hath prepared the Firmament 
 for many Suns. A World of Perfo- 
 nages, Great for their Prowefi, Ver- 
 tue, Learning, and Wifdom, would 
 exalt this State too high: It is there- 
 fore fo ordered, that the Spirits of 
 the moll: lie ftill and contracted by the 
 very clofenefs of their Condition, be- 
 
 fides 
 
C&e ©?eat Soul of 30am 149 
 
 fides othej: Mifadventures 5 and are fo 
 diverted upon the little things they 
 have to do with, and fo ftraitned by 
 them, that they think of nothing fur- 
 ther 5 and if they do, yet finding no 
 (cope or opportunity, they repent the 
 Attempt, and retreat back again. 
 
 For alas, the Neceffities of Man- 
 kind in thefe Bodies are fo confuming 
 and expenfive, and the Riches of the 
 Creation hidden deep, and removed 
 far from ufe, or elfe (canty, and daily 
 wafted, that but fome of Mankind can 
 befet out for Glory, and their Under- 
 takings equipp'd for Grandeur : for, 
 what one Man hath, and ufes, another 
 wants 5 the Abundance of that one 
 Man, is the Poverty of many about 
 him : How few then can make proof 
 of the Defigns and Adtion of a Soul > 
 
 Further, there are continual Sup- 
 plantations and Underminings of Hu- 
 mane Nature , and the Virtue of ir, 
 by it felf, the Endeavours of fome to 
 rife arefurpriz d and counter-wrought 
 by the Jealoufies of others , who 
 thereupon fufpect their own diminu- 
 tion or Ruine. The World is full of 
 Sufpicion, Surmife, Envy, and ill Ap- 
 prehenfion, becaufe there is not e- 
 L 3 nough 
 
f 50 lf>e ©?eat ©oul of $>atn 
 
 nough for this Soul of Man, whereby 
 to (hew it felf as great as it i9 , and 
 would fain appear to be. 
 
 This Region is fo (tinted, that eve- 
 ry Greater Intelligence in it thinks it 
 could it felf enlighten and move the 
 whole, and is offended with a Joynt- 
 Light , as eclipfing and drowning 
 fome of its own. Heaven onely en- 
 tertains an innumerable Company of 
 Glorious Spirits, in their full Luftre.- 
 Their number is Ten thouland times 
 ten thoufand, and thoufands of thou- 
 fands, without the jealoufie or envy 
 of any one. 
 
 Yet in this very low condition of 
 Souls,theSoul it felf is not the left, but 
 conceald, as many excellent and moft 
 potent Things in Nature. A Diamond 
 may be eafily covered, that none of the 
 Beams of it can be (een 5 the (harp 
 Steel lies quiet in the Sheath 5 the 
 Fire, that could inflame the whole 
 Courfe of Nature^ is hid in the Flint : 
 How often is the Glory of the Sun 
 muffled up in a Cloud ? And, to af- 
 cend higher, not onely the Angelical, 
 but the Divine Glory is much re- 
 1ra.4j.15. (erv'd, while it is much feen.- Verify 
 thou art a Pod that hideji thy felf, 
 
 O God 
 
H&e ©jeat Soul of 3Datn 1 5 1 
 
 God of jfrael , the Saviour of thy 
 People. 
 
 Now this thing ought not to be to Praafcal 
 us a Matter of meer Notion or Spe- inference, 
 culation , but of raoft ferious confi- 
 deration : for this Greatnels and Po- 
 tency of our Souls determines it felf 
 fupremely and finally into an Ability 
 and Power to bear Eternal Happinels 
 or Mifery 5 and all elfe is but acciden- 
 tal, and by the By to it. It was not 
 made great for any Name of things, 
 that is named in this Worlds or call'd 
 Great here, how great foever. All » 
 things that are Arguments of Potency 
 now, do but fall in 3 the true inten- 
 tion of the Souls being made fo puif- 
 lant a Being, is, that it might fuftain 
 thofe weights of Glory , Likenefs to 
 God, Everlafting Enjoyment of him, 
 without being fainted or overwhelm- 
 ed .• But if it milcarry from this Hap- 
 pinefs, or fall (hort of this Glory, all 
 this its Might and Puiflance enable 
 it ftill to furvive, and bear the mallie 
 difpleafure of God, angry for Sin 5 
 and the mod forcible and terrible Re- 
 coils of its own guilty and enraged 
 felf, upon it felf. 
 
 Now a Being thus Potent and Great, 
 L 4 as 
 
1 5 2 c&e ©?eat ©oul or ^Batt* 
 
 as to fubfift itt that Everlafting Blef- 
 fednefs or Mifery, can together, and 
 comprehenfively do thofe fmaller 
 Great things that are efteem'd fo in 
 this World.- and yet if it fhould ne- 
 ver do any fiich , nor have the occa- 
 fion of doing them , to be created to 
 the Intents and Purpofes of an Eter- 
 nal Condition , makes it compleatly 
 neceffary it (hould be made fo Great 
 as we have aflerted: And if it were 
 not fo , we could make but a very 
 imperfeft account , to what ends the 
 Souls of fome Princely and incompa- 
 rable Young Men are prepared 3 whofe 
 rifing and growing Vertue appears 
 onely fo long, as to fpringHeroickly, 
 and to give proof of a Divinenefs in 
 the Bud, and then by Death to fade 
 in this World, as early as it bloffoms, 
 and Have no opportunity left to ri- 
 pen. In thefe at once we fee both 
 the-Greatnefs of a Soul, and that this 
 World is not its proper Sphere, or (b 
 much as near it 5 for if it were, fuch 
 Souls had been made in vain fo 
 Great : But the State of Eternity ju- 
 ftifies the Wifdom of God, in breath- 
 ing (b rich a Principle of Life, not- 
 ^ithftaading fo little Aflion here} 
 
tgfye ®*eat ©oul of ®an* 153 
 
 becaufe what is fo fuperabundant 
 now, is then all of ufe, and nothing 
 to fpare. 
 
 And to prefi this Confideration fur- 
 ther , and more generally , the State 
 of Eternity reduces the Souls of Men 
 univerfally to thus much of Equality, 
 that they are all alike ftripp'd out of 
 the Cumber and Incommodioufnefs 
 of a Body, and brought to the naked- 
 nefs and fimplicity of Spirit , which 
 is the greateft Advancement of Be- 
 ing, in an abftraft 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 
 fubfervient Minifteries : All have that 
 which is full enough to their State. 
 
 Souls are then at the height of Im- 
 mortality and Unchangeablenefs, un- 
 der a Full-fail A&ivity , every way 
 equal to fo great a Nature , whether 
 it be employed in Fruitions or Indu- 
 rances. 
 
 Let us then expatiate thus into 
 Meditation : We that are but of fo 
 many Foot of Body , and rauft be 
 lodg'd in fo many Foot of Earth, the 
 mealure of the Grave , have Souls 
 ■^hofe Capacities and A&ion are vafter 
 
 than 
 
1 54 €$* ®l*M ®oul of ^atit 
 
 than the whole Creation of Matter : 
 Job 4. 19. We that dwell in houfes of clay^ and 
 have our foundation in the duft, have 
 yet great and potent Souls. If we 
 could perfwade our felves we are 
 more than this Hand-breadth of Bo- 
 dily Condition, and prefent Life, we 
 fhould prepare our felves for fo great 
 a State of Being, the State that is pro- 
 per to Souls. All we toil and fvveat 
 for , that we defign and care for in 
 the World, is Self-prefervation, Self- 
 enjoyment , and Well-being : Why 
 then (hould we not mind thefe in our 
 largeft and moft excellent Quality? 
 We value our felves in that which is 
 leaft, and throw our felves away in 
 the main and whole Sum. 
 
 Let us then continually reafon with 
 our felves : Our Souls are great 5 when 
 we go out of the Body , we become 
 Great Spirits. However the Soul 
 keep up clofe in the Body, yet it may 
 be dilated beyond all poffible Ima- 
 gination 5 as they fay, An Angel of 
 Gold may be beaten out to cover a 
 whole Acre of Ground. We fee to 
 what a vaftnefs Education, Study, Ad- 
 vancement in the World, extends the 
 Souls of fome Men, that made little 
 
 appear- 
 
Uttje ©jeat Soul of $)atn i $ 5 
 
 appearance at firft : To how much a 
 more immenfe Amplitude will the 
 State of Eternity ftretch out the Re- 
 ceipt of a Soul ? and what an abun- 
 dance of Happinefs or Mifery will it 
 then take in ! 
 
 How little then, or how great 
 foever we feem now, all will then be 
 refolv'd into this final Condition of 
 our Immortal Souls $ and the Happi- 
 ne(s of thefe refts in the Favour of 
 God, a Likenels to him in Holinefs, 
 fpringing out into an Eternal Enjoy- 
 ment of him. 
 
 And while we are here in the 
 World, in this State of our Souls lies 
 our true Greatnefs and Worth : Some 
 that feem fo inconfiderable , that no 
 Man looks after them, yet being great- 
 ly Holy , greatly favoured of God , 
 Great Spirits, all Heavenly, the world Hcbr. u, 
 is not worthy of them , though they *7>3 8 - 
 wander up and down on montains^ in 
 Jlieepskins , and goat-skjns , and be 
 hid in dens and caves of the earth. 
 Others Great in the World, and being 
 alfo truly Good , the Backcparts of 
 their Greatnefs are onely feen. 
 
 Yea, even in Bad Men, how fmall 
 or great foever they are in the World, 
 
 yet 
 
i s 6 tltje ©# at ©oul of $tem 
 
 yet that they pertain to an EJverlaft- 
 ing Condition, that they have Im- 
 mortal Souls , this makes them of 
 greateft confederation. To convert 
 them to God> is therefore a great and 
 excellent Work : To fave a Soul from 
 deaths how great is the Service ! and 
 how great is the Reward ! They that 
 do it, Jhall Jljine as the Stars in the 
 Firmament. How great a Regard to 
 the meaneft or worft of Men (hould it 
 draw, that they pertain to an Eternal 
 judgment ! 
 
 The Confideration of the Soul, as 
 a Being Invifible , and a Spirit, ha- 
 ving invited an often mention of its 
 Eternal or Unchangeable Condition, 
 to which this prefent State is fubordi- 
 nate, and difembogues it felf into it, 
 as the Rivers do into the Ocean 5 I 
 come, in the next place to make a 
 modeft Refearch into the Nature of 
 Eternity , and the Souls Relation to 
 it. 
 
 But in fpeaking of Eternity \ I know 
 ffa.57.1j. he alone is able to declare it, who in- 
 habits it 5 God himfelf, or the An- 
 gels, thofe Bleffed Spirits, who were 
 early affum'd into larger Participati- 
 v. ons, 
 
- tlfje ®?eat ©oul of $)an* 1 5 7 
 
 ons of it .• Yet feeing we alfo are de- 
 fign'd to the fame Participations, it 
 concerns us, as far as we can, to un- 
 derftand the Wonder of it. 
 
 Eternity then, in its firft and high- 
 eft Senfe, is not any thing diftindt from 
 God, but his ftable unchangeable Be- 
 ing from everlaji.ing to everlafiing : 
 There is no other Eternity than 
 this, properly and ftriftly taken, 
 from which is caft upon the Mind 
 that contemplates a Being fo fur- 
 rounded with it felf, and its own in- 
 variable Perfeftion, a Notion of Ever- 
 lafting Duration , and that which is 
 comprehended by it 5 becaufe, by 
 reafon of the narrownefs of our Un- 
 derftanding, it is conceiv'd in a di- 
 ftin&ion from the Divine Being it 
 felf, we in a (econdary Senfe call Eter- 
 nity. 
 
 But even, as what we term Vbi- * 
 qnity^ is that which refults to us from 
 the Notion or Apprehenfion of God 
 the Immenfe Being filling all, fo much 
 as even Imaginary Space , while he 
 himfelf is the onely true Vbiquity? 
 even fo Eternity is the Infinitenels of 
 God's Being filling all Imaginary Du- 
 ration, and fo filling it, that the Di- 
 vine 
 
1 5 8 tE&e ©?eat ©oul tf ^am 
 
 vine Being it felf is that very Eternity, 
 of which Everlafting Duration is but 
 the Shadow that falls from it, as Un- 
 bounded Space does from his Omni- 
 prefence. 
 
 God then, the Supreme Eternal, or 
 rather Eternity, is a Being that muft 
 always have been, and ever muft be : 
 It is moft impoffible to conceive he 
 fbould ever not have been, or ever 
 not be : And he is a Being that ne- 
 ver could , and can never be other- 
 wife than he is .• So that there are no 
 Marks of Diftinftion that could ever 
 be taken from his Being, or from the 
 State and Condition of his Being. 
 
 Rcv.i.8. He is, He was, He is to come, are all 
 united into one Eternal Point or Pe- 
 
 Exo.3.14. riod in him, and thus exprefs'd, / 
 
 Jam* \. i*}. AM: A Being without any variation, 
 or Jhadow of turning. 
 
 2 Per. 3.8. A thoufand years to him, arc hut 
 as yefierday, when it is pajl 5 and one 
 day, as a thoufand years. And if it 
 had been faid, Ten thoufand millions 
 of Years are but as a Minute when it 
 is paft, it had been all one in this 
 Cafe^ for there is no New Thing to 
 him, or in him, but all is a Juft now. 
 For his Being is the moft folid fub- 
 
 ftantial 
 
C&e ©?eat ©oul of gtetu 1 5 9 
 
 ftantial Being, that cannot poffibly 
 fubmit to any Alteration : What is 
 Infinitely Perfect , can admit no 
 Change. This is the One, J*Ji> Even, 
 Smooth Eternity. 
 
 And underftanding God thus, we 
 underftand Eternity : And though it 
 be no where but in himfelf, and where 
 he communicates the Likenefs of it 5 
 yet Eternity in a (econdary Senfe, be- 
 comes a diftinft Notion or Senfe of a 
 Mode of Being in our Minds, 3 and it 
 is a changelefs Duration of any Being 
 in the felf-fame State 3 for if there be 
 not Duration, there muft be Change 5 
 and if there be Change , it is not a 
 Duration on all fides 5 for then there 
 could be no Change. 
 
 Now this Notion of Eternity could 
 never have come into our Minds, if 
 it had not been planted there by his 
 Hand, who dwells in it, on purpofe 
 that we might know himfelf by it 5 
 nor had there been a fubftantial Reft 
 for fuch a Conception , if his Being 
 had not given it : All elfe is but Ima- 
 ginary Duration. 
 
 Eternity then, in this our appre- 
 henfion of it, is one great fmooth Sea, 
 without any Curl of Change 5 or as 
 
1 60 TB$e <$?ea t Soul of ^atu 
 
 a vaft unmeafurable Plain , wherein 
 the Eye hath no Bound, nor fo much 
 as Note of Diftin&ion, no Rife, no 
 Fall s like a great Mountain, that all 
 Generations have pafs'd and repafs'd, 
 one hath gone, another come, and 
 that hath flidden away too, but the 
 Mountain hath ftood firm. It is like 
 a Rock, that hath ftood innumerable 
 Ages, without fo much as (baling 5 
 about which the huge Waters have 
 continually wav'd and roird them- 
 (elves, and dafti'd afunder } by which 
 (mailer Veffels have pafs'd to and 
 again 5 gallant Ships, and Potent Ar- 
 madaes have fail'd by, and funk, or 
 moulder'd away : this in the mean 
 time without any variation. 
 
 It is like an Hour fpent in higheft 
 Pleafure, no Moment, no Minute of 
 which is fo much as felt. It is like a 
 deep Contemplation, in which the 
 Mind is fo loft, (b retir'd from Body, 
 that it reckons not any Motion , it 
 keeps no account of Time for it, nor 
 obferves whether any Time pafs'd. It 
 is like an undefinable Point of Juft 
 now. 
 
 In the next place, to give the great- 
 er Light to Eternity, let us ftate the 
 
 Na- 
 
COe ©?eat Soul of SSam 161 
 
 Nature of Time. And Time, to (peak 
 fubftantially of it, is nothing but the 
 Coming of a Thing , or a World of 
 Things into Being, that were not in 
 Being before. For this makes a new 
 Note in what we conceive, as Durati- 
 on .• And therefore when the World 
 was made, the Scripture (ays, In the 
 Beginning. There was then a new 
 Date , becaufe there was fomething 
 then, that had not been before. In 
 Whole Eternity there was nothing 
 New 5 All was alike One. 
 
 Now thefe things coming in by the 
 way of Change, viz. the exchange 
 of the State of Nothing, for the State 
 of Exiftency, are alfo every Moment 
 fubjedt to change, and in a continual 
 hover up and down 5 and while all 
 thefe things are performing their Mo- 
 tion in their Changes and Viciffitudes, 
 the Mind of Man confidering them 
 under fuch a Mode or Circumftance 
 of their Being, there arifes a Notion 
 or Reprefentation of that whole 
 Space, which putting all together, we 
 call Time in the largeft fen(e 3 of 
 which, that in the Revelation of St. 
 John may fitly be underftood, 77/#e Rev.io.tf. 
 Jhall be no more 5 all Change being 
 
 M con- 
 
1 62 €&e ©# at ftoul of #aiu 
 
 confummate in the unmoveable State 
 of Eternity, And while it confiders 
 their particular Flutters hither and 
 thither, it takes Meafures of the more 
 contingent and unfetled Motion of 
 fbme, by the more fetled and itated 
 Motion of others : of which the 
 Heavenly Bodies, in their conftant 
 Revolutions of Day and Night, 
 Months and Years, are the fupreme 
 Standard , and faithful Witneffes } 
 which the fame Divine expreffes, by 
 Rev. 12. Time-, and Times, and Half a Time, 
 M- viz. as it is generally underftood, a 
 
 Year, two Years, and Half a Year 3 or, 
 cap. 1 1. 2, as it is otherwife fpoken, Forty two 
 3- Months, and A thousand, two hun- 
 
 dred and threescore days. 
 
 Below thefe , the Founding and 
 Ruine of Monarchies, the Birth and 
 Death of Princes, make the Publick 
 Epochs , and give new Chara&ers to 
 Time, which the Prophet Daniel calls 
 Daru.21.the changing of Times and Seafons : 
 Even as thefe Changes in the Condi- 
 tion of Private Perfons, make private 
 and particular Diftinftions of it , in 
 thofe Places and Families where they 
 are knou n and taken notice of: Of 
 which David fpeaks, not onely as a 
 
 King, 
 
C(je ©?eat Soul of ©am 163 
 
 King, but in a general Capacity; My Pfai $, 
 7/^e/ are in thy hand. •£ 
 
 If we could fuppofeall thin ;s then 
 above us, round about us, wi iin us, 
 even to a thought (landing ft'*!, and 
 no alteration,fo much as in a thm-glu^ 
 where would be the Meafure of 
 Time ? or what would be the ac- 
 count of it? or where would it be at 
 all? 
 
 The Being therefore of the Things 
 of Time, or rather that projeft, and 
 caft Time,as a faint Shade from them- 
 felves, are made and ficted to move, 
 and (hift, and alter 5 clie there could 
 be no Time : even as the Being of 
 God, always the fame, gives us Eter- 
 nity: elfe there could be none, but an 
 Imaginary Duration, as hath been al- 
 ready afferted. 
 
 If any thing therefore in this World 
 ftands fafterand longer than other, and 
 fuffers no Change, it becomes a near- 
 er Refc-mblance of Eternity , as the 
 Hills are call'd Everlajiing Hills, and 
 the Eternity of God condefcends it 
 felf to our Thoughts by compare 
 with them : Before the Hills were pqi, 90t2t 
 brought forth, even from Everlajiing 
 to Everlajiing , thou art God. Un- 
 M 2 mov'd 
 
1 64 Ctje <25?eat Soul of q&m 
 
 mov'd Rocks are Rockj of Eternity: 
 Ha. 1^.4, God himfelf is ftil'd the KocJ^ of Ages ^ 
 or Eternity. 
 
 Now Time, however full of Flu- 
 ctuations it is in it felf, can yet make 
 no difturbance upon Eternity , or at 
 all afFeft it 5 all its various Shapes can 
 imprint no Change there .• For whe- 
 ther we confider Eternity as One with 
 God 5 As our Saviour (peaks of Abra* 
 JohB.tf. ham, Before Abraham was , I am, lb 
 it may be (aid of all the Particulars 
 of Time , Before them , from ever* 
 lafting God is. His Being did not 
 wait their coming into Being, nor 
 does it lay down it (elf, when they 
 Pfal.90.3. go out of their prelent Being: Thou 
 (O God) tumejl Man to deftru&ion, 
 and fayji, Return ye Children of Men : 
 Pfal. 102. The Heavens wax old as a Garment , 
 26,27. a; a vefiure Jhalt thou change them, 
 and they foall be changed : But thou 
 art the fame for ever^ and of thy years 
 there is no end. Or whether we con- 
 fider Eternity in a fecondary Notion, 
 and as we conceive it in Everlafting 
 Duration 5 it is always quiet and un- 
 interrupted in the Divine Being.- 
 There is Duration, without any Jba- 
 dorp of change, which is the ablblute 
 
 Eternity, 
 
C5e ©jeat ©oul of 30am 165 
 
 Eternity, and gives the moft perfed 
 Notion of it, and is no where to be 
 found, but in God. 
 
 But Time, whether we underftand 
 it as that fpace of Duration in which 
 thefe Changeables are running their 
 feveral Rifques, it is incircled and 
 comprehended by Eternity, as a Drop 
 by the Ocean , above it , within it, 
 roundabout it.* and indeed it is but 
 the fame Duration, diftinguifh'd one- 
 ly by thofe Chequers and Spots of 
 Change upon it : Or if we underftand 
 by it the Creatures of Time, in thofe 
 their feveral Changes, they are crea- 
 ted and upheld by the Eternal Power : 
 He that changes Times and Seafons^ 
 without any Variety in himfelf, rules 
 and governs them all, till at his com- 
 mand they furrender themfelves back 
 into that Fixed State his Wifdom and 
 Righteoufnefs difpofes them into for 
 For Ever, to which their Motion in 
 this incertain State prepares them. 
 
 Thus, as all things that move muft 
 have foroe certain and unfhaken Bot- 
 tom to move upon 3 and things not 
 felf-fubfiftent , but dependent, muft 
 have fome independent Strength to 
 reft upon : fo fluid, and never-refting, 
 M 3 weak 
 
1 66 f^e <s$eat ©oul of $)atu 
 
 weak Time, or rather thofe moveable 
 Beings that give it its Name, rauft be 
 upheld by unfhaken and all-potent 
 - -Eternity, to which they pay them- 
 felves, as their Great End : For he by 
 
 Cob. 17. whom are all things^ is the fame with 
 him who was before all things , and 
 
 Hcb. 2.10. for whom, all things are : Tejlerday, 
 ,5 ' ' and to day, the fame for ever*, 
 
 Now to colledt the Sum of this 
 Explication of Eternity, and Time $ 
 it is this : Eternity is (table and in- 
 variable, as the Divine Being that 
 inhabits it, or indeed is Eternity it 
 fe]£ Time , as it includes what we 
 call Duration, is not properly Time 5 
 for fo it falls in with Eternity, as 
 Created Being doth with the Ocean 
 of Being Increated : but as it is in 
 perpetual Change, fo it is Time, and 
 fo it falls in with the mutable Crea- 
 tures, that refide upon it, and are in- 
 deed in thofe Motions of Change al- 
 lowed to them, the true fubftantial 
 Time it felf. 
 
 And all this fpeaks the fubftantial- 
 nefs of the Being of God , and the 
 Nothingnefs of all the Things of 
 Time : For if Things had fuch a Be- 
 ing as they could like and be content- 
 ed 
 
tlfre ©?eat ©oul of $$w. 1 67 
 
 ed with , and could continue in it, 
 when they like it , as long as they 
 would,; they would be always what 
 they art: but becaufe they are nei- 
 ther ftrdng enough to chufe their 
 Condition,. nor to retain it, they con- 
 tinue in every Condition, whether 
 Good or Evil , juft (6 long as is ap- 
 pointed by his Pleafure who keeps 
 Times and Seafons all in his oivn Afci.7. 
 hand. 
 
 But, on the other fide, the Eter- 
 nity of God muft needs be Blefled- 
 nefs and Happinefs : For Eternity ex- 
 preffing Abfolute Being, Perfection of 
 Being, Being with alt advantage 5 
 Being and Well-being confpire and 
 meet in one in him, even of neceffity. 
 The Apo'ftle , in contemplation of 
 this, adores God, the onely Blejfed iTim.£. 
 arid Happy Potentate^ "and fubjoyns, l ^ 15 * 
 who onely hath Immortality , and 
 dwells in that Light to which no Man 
 cart approach. 
 
 It is true, Created Beings may be 
 Immortal, and yet miferable : that is, 
 becaufe Created Being' doth not, as 
 Increased, refult from it felf, nor is 
 Abfolute Being 5 but is given, and 
 upheld, and continued at the pleafure 
 
 M 4 of 
 
1 68 Cbe ©jeat Soul of gJan * 
 
 of the Creator, and fo receives vari- 
 ety of Condition , according to the 
 Laws he hath fet to it , while it is 
 yet maintain d in its Duration and 
 Continuance ^ the Favour or Difplea- 
 fure of God, the Righteous or Un- 
 righteous State of it, making vaft dif- 
 ferences herein. 
 
 This then is the Eternity of God, 
 His always alike Being, infinitely Hap- 
 py, infinitely Bleffed. This is the 
 .Eternity of Jefa Chrifi the Son of 
 God, the Son of God eternally be- 
 gotten, that though he proceeded 
 and came forth from God the Father, 
 yet he made no new Date , no Be- 
 ginning: Eternally begotten, without 
 tYieleaflJhadow of turnings to denomi- 
 nate Time, as the Creatures do by Be- 
 ginning 5 but as a Beam from the Sun, 
 as fbon as it is, making no new thing 
 in the Sun $ or as Apprehenfion from 
 the Mind, as fbon as the Mind is , or 
 as the immediate Image and Likenefe 
 pf the Face, as early as the Face is : 
 thus, and infinitely more, even incom- 
 prehenfibly, is Chrifi the Son of the 
 Father, coeternal with him. This is 
 the Eternity of the Son of God 5 but 
 iyhac is the fathers Name , or what 
 
 is 
 
tEbe ©?eat Soul of 9g an • 1 69 
 
 is his Sons Name in Eternity 9 none Pro.30.4. 
 can tell 5 for who can declare his ge- 
 neration i but, Before all things that 
 were made, and by being made, made 
 a Beginning} before all things that 
 beginning to be, caft the fhadow of 
 Tirpe 5 even before all things, is the C0I.M7; 
 Saviour of the Worid 5 that is, he is 
 Eternal. 
 
 Indeed, as he is the Son of Man, he 
 gave great, and the greateft Chara- 
 cters to Time it hath, the richeft Mra 
 and Enochs it hath 5 His Incarnation, 
 in dating it telf from which, Latter 
 Time glories and triumphs 5 His Death 
 and Paflion, his Refurreftion and Af- 
 cenfion, His Appearance the fecond 
 time from Heaven , to give a Period 
 to Time. Thus, as the Son of Man, 
 he hath enrich'd and ennobled Time: 
 But, as the Son of God, he onely go- 
 verns Time , that is, the Things of 
 Time, and changes Times and Sea- 
 fons, by fetting up, and pulling down 
 what he pleafes ^ whence Time is va- 
 rioufly imbofs'd : but by any Change 
 in himfelf, he doth not give the leafl: 
 Shade of Time. 
 
 The Eternity of Angels is much 
 £>eiovy this perfed, this abfolute Eter- 
 nity 5 
 
i7o «&e <85jeat Soul of $)am 
 
 nity^ for they had a Beginning, they 
 came out of the State of Not Being, 
 into Being .• but this of Eternity they 
 have, that their Being giveft* them, 
 continues for ever, lafts for ever.- In- 
 deed even this Duration is not by any 
 neceflity of Nature, as in the Son of 
 Cod, the onely begotten of the Father 5 
 for he can neither have begun to be 
 begotten, nor ceafe to be begotten, 
 but it muft make a Change in God, a 
 fubftantial Change. Thus alfo incom- 
 prehenfibly ftands the Eternity of the 
 Divine Spirit , proceeding Eternally 
 from the Father and the Son: But the 
 * Everlaftingnefs of Angels hath its 
 certainty from the Purpofe of God 
 unchangeable concerning it. 
 
 Further, Their Eternity is not like 
 to the Eternity of the Divine Beings 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spi- 
 rit, in that as they received a Begin- 
 ning, fo there was a Space wherein 
 their Condition was alterable, as ap- 
 pears by the Fall of fome, and the ge- 
 nerally receiv'd Confirmation of o- 
 thers: And that it is alterable in De- 
 grees, may be argued by their daily 
 increafe in Knowledge, Additions to 
 which Good Angels receive from the 
 
 Church, 
 
€&e <S5pat Soul of $)am 17 1 
 
 Church, while they Jioop down to loot^ 
 into the things of the Go/pel $ daily 
 Experience in both forts 5 Increafes 
 of Glory to the Holy minijiring Spi- 
 rits, as a Reward of their iMiniftry 3 
 Aggravations of Punifhment to the 
 Fallen Angels, for their many and 
 great Hoftilities to God, his Son, and 
 Servants: The Complement therefore 
 of either State, is not till the Day of 
 Judgment be paft. 
 
 Thefe things already fpoken, lead 
 to the Defcription of the Eternity of 
 the Souls of Men , confiding in three 
 things. 
 
 1. That they (hall continue for 
 ever in Being, the unchangeable De- 
 cree of God upholding them in a 
 never-ending Exiftence. 
 
 2. That the Subftance. of their 
 Condition (hall never be alter'd 5 
 upon which account the Scripture 
 often fpeaks of a For Ever, as a Hap- 
 pinefs incorruptible , and that fadeth 1 Per.r.4. 
 not away^ on the other fide, of Eter- 
 nal PuniJIjment) of a Worm that never Mat. 25. 
 dies, a Fire that is never quenched : 4<*. 
 
 All which fpeak, as much as Words MiIC 'M' 
 can convey to us, fuch an unchange- 
 able State, 
 
 3. There 
 
172 ft&e C?eat ©oul of $Jam 
 
 5. There is no Interruption or Al- 
 teration in the Degrees of their State 3 
 there are no Marks of Diftinftion, 
 that thefe Souls (hould fay, Now 
 more happy, now left happy $ Now 
 more miferable , now lefs miferabte : 
 But as higheft Delight takes away all 
 fenfe of the Motion of Time in this 
 Life, & as fenfe of extreme Pain makes 
 an Hour like an Age 5 how much 
 more in Eternity does the Perfeftion 
 of Happinefs , and the Extremity of 
 Mifery , the fubftantialnefs and abfo- 
 lutcnefs of either State, fwallow up 
 all Notes of Diftin&ion ? God is no 
 more Happy by any addition of Mo- 
 ments we fuppofe in the Duration of 
 his Happinefi 5(1 fay, we fuppofe ) 
 for indeed he is his own Happinefs, 
 and his own Duration. So in propor- 
 tion, this State is its own Duration, 
 Heaven one intire united Moment of 
 endlefs Delight, Hell of Mifery. 
 
 1. Now this State of the Souls of 
 Men in Eternity arifes, firft, from the 
 fitnefi fuch a Nature as Mans Soul is 
 of, that is, a Spiritual Nature, (as I 
 have already difcours'd) to be Ever- 
 lafting ; A Nature which God hath 
 with Infinite Wifdom and Power con- 
 trived 
 
C&e ©?cat ©oul of $)an* 173 
 
 triv'd to be a refemblance of himfelf. 
 Thus the Heavens , as they are more 
 durable , are alfo of choicer Matter, 
 and lefi corruptible, than other Parts 
 of the Creation: And thofe things 
 that by God are defign'd for For 
 Ever, are made fo perfe&ly agreeable 
 to their State, that they need not be 
 altered 5 as if a Veffel of pureft Me- 
 tal were made fo fubftantial, that it 
 could fuffer no change in the Quanti- 
 ty, Weight, Figure, Oriency of it, 
 either by Fire, Hammer, or the feve- 
 ral Accidents that fall out in length 
 of Time 3 nor that there could be fo 
 much as a poffible Reafon to defire 
 the change of it. 
 
 2. From the Will of God, and his 
 unchangeable Decree, that it fhould 
 be fo 3 which he awakes good and e& 
 fe&ual by continually feeding thefe 
 Beings with Eternity 5 that is, from 
 himfelf he (ends them all the Powers 
 of Life and Motion : So that to ask, 
 When (hall thefe Souls, and the feve- 
 ral States of them , in Happinefs or 
 Mifery, have end } is to ask, When 
 will a Stream be dry, that is fed by a 
 Fountain that can never beexhaufted, 
 nor the Supply of it be ^offibly cut 
 
 off 
 
174 *&&* ®?«tt ® oul of $9am 
 
 off from that Stream ? His Favour is 
 an Eternal Principle of Life and Blef 1 
 fednefs 5 His Prefence of Wrath, and 
 the Glory of his Power fet agalnft us, 
 is as great a Source of Mifery and 
 Torment. While therefore he will 
 uphold our Beings and Faculties, and 
 keep up their Motion, fo long they 
 muft be 5 and while he pleafes either to 
 Chine out gracioufly upon us,or to dart 
 againft us the Lightning of his Difplea- 
 fure, fo long we muft be either happy, 
 or miferable: And when either of thefe 
 is done, to the height and perfecti- 
 on of either, as they are in the World 
 to come, then according to the Re- 
 velation of his Will, guided with that 
 Wifdom by which he hath weigh'd 
 out all things , they are to be For 
 Ever. For the pft Perfed of all 
 Things now, and that are abfolutely 
 the higheft of his Creation, that is, 
 Spirits 5 and that which is the Top 
 of their Condition, as that to which 
 the Laft Judgment affixes them is, are 
 defign'd by God for For Ever. 
 
 3. The proper Exercrfes of Man's 
 Soul , which are in Und^rftanding, 
 Righteoufnels, Holinefs, declare the 
 defignment of it for Eternity. For 
 
 thefe 
 
tl&e <S>?eat <©oul of ©am 175 
 
 thefe things being fuch evident Beams 
 from .the Divine Glory and Being, 
 cannot ,die 5 and thofe Natures that 
 have their Aftion plac'd in them, are 
 thence argued Immortal. For feeing 
 thefe things in themfelves, in their 
 pure and abftract Notions , are un- 
 changeable 5 the Soul being a Seat fo 
 peculiarly dedicated to them, and im- 
 mediately fitted for them, and a very 
 Principle of them, as made by God 5 
 it is a very great prefumption of its 
 Eternal State. 
 
 There remains nothing T intend fur- 
 ther touching this Vaftneft of Eterni- 
 ty, (concerning which, all Difcourfe 
 is but as the drop of the Bucket^ or the 
 fmall dufi of the Balance } nothings 
 and lefs than nothing) but more clear- 
 ly to exalt the Eternity of God, 
 above that of his Everlafting Crea- 
 tures 5 and to fall into Practical Me- 
 ditations upon Everlafting Duration, 
 
 1. It is in the firft place certain, 
 No Created Being hath an Eternity 
 before Time .• Of God onely, and 
 of no Created Being, can it be faid, 
 It never began, Thus it always was, 
 It never made any new Date : From 
 Everlafting to Everlafting onely Cod 
 
176 tETtie ©?eat ©oul of ©an. 
 
 Ir'j Of him onely it can befaid, He 
 »^i" Ez/er, as he is, and is to come. 
 
 2. Of no Creature can it be faid, 
 abfolutely , or in regard of it fcif, 
 (though it be in its Everlafting State) 
 It muft be, or It muft be thus, It can 
 be no otherwife : It can be onely (aid 
 fb, upon account of the unchangea- 
 ble Decree of God. There is a high 
 agreeablenefs in the Nature of Spi- 
 rits to Be 5 but this , It muft be, is 
 onely proper to God. Of him onely 
 to acknowledge, He may be, is (as 
 hath been laid ) to infold our felves 
 in a pofitive Affurance , He is, and 
 muft be. He is no precarious Being} 
 not a Being at the Free-will of any 3 
 no Chance Being 5 not a convenient 
 Being onely } A Being, of which it 
 may be faid, It is better, and beft he 
 fhould be 5 though this be true, and 
 that infinitely. But he is an Infinite- 
 ly neceffary Being 5 His Being is the 
 Firft, the Eternal, the Fundamental 
 Verity. 
 
 3. He onely is his own Eternity: 
 Deur. 32, He along lifts up his Hand to the Hea- 
 4 ° # ven % and fays , I live for ever ? He lifts 
 
 it up in the Triumph and Power of 
 Being : All Creatures depend upon 
 
 his 
 
C(je ©^at ©out of gtari* i - 1 
 
 his Eternity h Himfelf, and his Eter- 
 nity are One '^ Himfelf is Eternity, and 
 Eternity is himfelf. To fpeak other- 
 wife of Eternity, is onely to fpeal^ as 
 children, to fpeak out of weak appre- 
 henfion to weak apprehenfion : in 
 the Perfeff State , we fhall put away 
 thefe childifl) things from us. A Crea- 
 ture cannot be faid with propriety to 
 be Eternal 5 but in a low Senfe, in a 
 Senft expreffing ' ods Communicati- 
 on of himfelf. The Creature's Ever- 
 Ufiing is meafured by God's Eterni- 
 ty: His own Being is the onely un- 
 meafurable Meafure, the unaccounta- 
 ble Account of his Eternity 3 even as 
 his Righteoufnefs, Truth, Omnipo- 
 tency, are all Himfelf 5 and there are 
 no other of thefe, but himfelf, and 
 his Communications : Even fo is his 
 Eternity. 
 
 Into what loweft and mod: pro- Medirati- 
 found Adorations of the Divine Be- on '• 
 ing fhould the Thought of Eternity 
 caft us } Oh infinitely rich and ama- 
 zing Perfeftion of Being, Life, and 
 Blcifednefs! What can be worthy of 
 our Thoughts, but thy ftlf onely ! 
 What are all the Creatures of this 
 World, compar'd with thee, but de- 
 N fpicable, 
 
178 €&e ©?eat ©oul of $)ath 
 
 fpicable, and even to be abhorr'd No- 
 things ! Why do we not always gaze 
 with humbleft and mod aftonithing, 
 yet moft delightful and ravilhing ad- 
 miration upon thee ! If we could 
 ftand near, and behold Angelical Glo- 
 ries and Heights, not as thy Servants 
 here have done in Bodily unfitnefs,but 
 in the Freedom of Spirits 5 and then 
 compare with thy infinitely furmount- 
 ing Glory , we fhould even difdain 
 (while yet we honour and value 
 them as thy Creatures of the higheft 
 Ordej: , as Thrones and Dominions 
 under thee) to interrupt our Adorati- 
 ons of thee , to worlhip them 3 and 
 fee what reafon they have to cover 
 their Faces before thee, and that thou 
 mayeft charge the loftieji Seraph with 
 Folly: Their Longeve State would 
 {brink into a Moment old, comparing 
 it with thy never-beginning Eterni- 
 ty 3 and that Being of theirs, which 
 eompar'd with Mortality feems fo 
 fubftantial, would appear, if brought 
 near to thee , but a Shadow , which 
 thy Being cafts upon them } at the 
 higheft , but a Beam from thy Splen- 
 dour. Let our Souls never ceafe be- 
 holding and contemplating thee , till 
 
 we 
 
UDe ©jeat Soul of $tem 179 
 
 we lofe our felves, and All things $ till 
 we find all again in thy moft ftlefTed 
 and Eternal felf} in thy Son, the fob- 
 fi ant ial Image of thy Eternity^ in thy 
 Spirit^ eternally breathing from and 
 relfing in thy felf. 
 
 Yet let us put that Value upon our 
 felves, that thou haft put upon us, in 
 communicating with us fuch a Beam 
 of thy Eternity, in making us Spirits, 
 in refolving us for an unchangeable, 
 and unalterable State. 
 
 2. This teaches us the Vanity, Fol- 
 ly, and even Rjdiculoufnefs of Athe- 
 iftical Scoffers, that dream thus, Why 
 did not God create the World (bon- 
 er? Why did his Wifdom , Power, 
 Goodnefs, fleep Co many Ages, ere it 
 began to maniteft it (elf, and make 
 the World ? As if Eternity had Soon- 
 er, and Later 5 as if that infinitely ex- 
 tended, unbounded, changelefs State, 
 both backward and forward , arifing 
 to us immediately and necefTarily 
 from the confideration of God, could 
 be call s d to account by the Meafures 
 of Time. If the World had been 
 MUlionsof Years older than it is, there 
 had ftill been an Eternity before it: 
 A Being, with whom a thou fond years 
 N 2 are 
 
1 80 C!je 6?eat Soul of $&uu 
 
 are but as yetterday , when it is paft. 
 Nor is there any thing more requifite 
 in Time, but that the Creatures of it 
 fhould run the Race fet them by the 
 Infinite Creator, and fo fix in their 
 unchangeable Condition. 
 
 3. We fhould often reafon with 
 " our felves, We are made for this un- 
 changeable, endlefs State ^ and if it 
 be not Happinefs, how then can we 
 endure it ? this ftable, never-altering 
 State ! We find now all Confinement, 
 though not to Pain, but onely to one 
 Pofture, to one Place, to one Com- 
 pany, tQ one Aftion, tedious, this is, 
 becaufe we find not a perfcft enjoy- 
 ment of Good in them .• We are 
 even weary of Pleafures, becaufe they 
 are but thin and fhallow : Even of 
 thofe things that at the firft we wi(h our 
 felves a Perpetuity in, we afterwards 
 grow weary, and they are tirefbm to 
 us, becaufe we come fuddenly to all 
 that is in them. 
 
 Divine Things are burdenfom to 
 us, becaufe, though they have end- 
 lefs Delights, yet our Faculties are 
 nor fuited nor raifed enough to them : 
 Nay, thofe things that are grateful to 
 the Senfual Appetite, yet if they fur- 
 charge 
 
H&e ©*£ at ©oul cf SDam * 3 1 
 
 charge it, are not its Pleafure, but its 
 great Difeafe. O therefore how little 
 (hall we be able to endure oue Poflure 
 of Mifery for ever ! moft adverfe to all 
 our Faculties, and yet they fo rais'd 
 and held up, as perfectly to take in 
 and endure that Mifery 3 and that Mi- 
 fery fo extracted and fpirituous, as to 
 penetrate them throughout } and not 
 coming in by Drops, andleffer Rivu- 
 lets 5 but Eternity , being all alike, 
 crowds in upon every Moment : 
 whereas now cither the Torment is 
 dulfd and rebated, cr inftiird and 
 proportion'd by fuch a Succeffion, as 
 carries hope of Change s or, if it be 
 extreme, it prefently does all it can 
 do 3 for it confumes what it hath to 
 work upon. 
 
 On the other fide, How great is the 
 Happinefs of Eternity! One fmooth, 
 plain, undifturbed Bleffednefs, with- 
 out any diverfity , For Ever ! The 
 higheft Faculties , in their perrc&eft 
 State, gratified with higheft Enjoy- 
 ment! Faculties fo ftiong, that they 
 cannot flag 5 the Enjoyment fo unfa- 
 thomable, that we can never feel Bot- 
 tom in it ! One Moment of encTIefs $ 
 Plea aire ! A Moment s for it hath no 
 
 N 2 T 
 
1 82 tlfje ©?eat Soul of $tan* 
 
 Tediouftiefi.- A Moment 5 for it hath 
 no Change, but is all one, and yet it 
 is endlefs and eternal .• An Eternity, 
 the Duration of which we cannot lp 
 much as take notice of, being in one 
 Ecftafie of Enjoyment. 
 
 When we fee miferable Men and 
 Women going up and down the 
 World, living and dying without 
 any Obler nation , it damps the fenfe 
 of thefe things 5 and who would 
 think, that fuch are prepared for fiich 
 an unchangeable State ? But how 
 ftrange is it, that Men hearing fo o£ 
 ten of Immortality out of the Go- 
 fpel , and that there is fo much in 
 their own Souls refoundingto it, that 
 they are not Men concerned to lay 
 hold upon Eternal Life , and to fly 
 from the Wrath that is to come ! Let 
 us look upon this great Level Ocean, 
 that- hath not fo much as one Wave 
 of Change rifing up in it} this huge 
 and vaft Champaign, fwelling with no 
 Hills, finking with no Dales. 
 
 And this know. Men may go down 
 to Hell in a moment, thinking they 
 die, and end together: They may 
 perifh without feeling it before-hand, 
 op fo much as a Conceit about it : 
 
 But 
 
tgfye ®jeat Soul of $tam 183 
 
 But whoever are lav'd by Chriji, they 
 perceive themfelves Immortal 5 C^r/j? 2 Tim. 1. 
 brings Life and Immortality to light I0 * 
 in their Souls , and kindles the fenfc 
 of it within them $ thofe to whom % 
 he gives Eternal Life, they find this 
 Life begin in the apprehenfions they 
 have now of Eternity. 
 
 4. O how vain are thofe trouble- 
 fbm turmoiling Thoughts and Cares 
 we have about Time, and the Things 
 of it! Trundling, rolling, wheeling 
 Time, that hath no continuance, that 
 is (b made on purpofe 5 the Things 
 that caft it are (6 weak, that they are 
 reftlefs in their fudden Changes. O 
 Wheel I as it was cried out in Ezekjel: Ezek. 10. 
 O changing Time , every Moment ■§• 
 fomething differing ! Let us onely 
 
 mind it, as it hath reference to Eter- 
 nity 3 for therein it is onely of mo- 
 ment : Eternity, that bears it up, it 
 (elf unconcern'd in its changeablenefs, 
 yet receives it into it (elf, and fwal- 
 lows it up in it felf. 
 
 5. How neceffary is it to change, 
 while we may, from Sin to God > to 
 take the advantage of Time , in the 
 true Conversion of our felvestoGod, 
 feeing Eternity endures no Change > 
 
 N 4 To 
 
1 84 Cfce ©jeat ^oul of ©ait* 
 
 To be wicked in our Eternal State, is 
 Wickedneft unalterable $ there are no 
 Reviews or Amendments there. To 
 turn, is the Advantage offer'd to Sin- 
 ners within Time : In Eternity Re- 
 pentance finds no place. On the 
 other fide , Eternal Life is Love of 
 God , . Delight in Holinefs, without 
 end. The Motions of Spirits in E- 
 ternity are fo fwift and perpetual one 
 way, that there is not the leaft Mo- 
 ment to defign a Change in : A Mo- 
 tion that is always one and the fame, 
 and is a Reft, while a Motion.- Even 
 as the moft rapid Motion of a Globe 
 round , that is fo fwift and rapid, 
 that it is not difcernd 5 and fo even 
 and juft, that it looks like (landing 
 (till. So is the State of Eternity, 
 Aftion to the height, and moft unal- 
 terable. 
 
 - What I have hitherto difcours'd 
 of the Soul, hath tended chiefly to 
 illuftrate it in thofe things that do 
 immediately concern its Natural Per- 
 fections, or its very Being, and the Pri- 
 vileges it therein hath, as it was made 
 in the Image of the Divine Being, 
 $ad its Perfections, For, that it is an 
 
 Invifible 
 
Ulje ®*eat ©oul of 8£am 1 8 5 
 
 Jnvifible Spirit, Immaterial, Immor- 
 tal, of fuch mighty Operations, and 
 vehement Motions , is of immediate 
 Relation to its Being , fimply confi- 
 dered. Now thefe Excellencies of 
 the Soul I have endeavoured fo to 
 abftraft, in the Dilcourfe of them, that 
 they might appear (fo far as is pofli- 
 ble ) in their fo abftraft and diftinft 
 Confideration : and yet, as the very 
 Thred and Nature of the Thing led 
 me, I have taken care to follow their 
 clofe and inleparable Connexion, or, 
 (to fpeak more truly) their perfeft 
 Union or Samenefs with Intelleft } 
 and toobferve the Operations to be 
 the fame with Intelleftual and Moral 
 Ope cations, that flow from an Un- 
 deiftanding .• To which purpofe I 
 have laboured in this AfTertion, That 
 fuch a Being as the Soul of Maq is, 
 muft be an Underftanding 3 and fuch 
 Operations as thofe proper to Mans 
 Soul, muft be Intelleftual Operations, 
 however cjouded and obfeur d, while 
 in the Body. 
 
 But I fhall now addrefs my felf more 
 fully to treat of the Soul, as it is this 
 Intellectual Spirit, in its Intellectuali- 
 ty or Intelligcncy it felf^ and of its 
 
 Intel- 
 
1 8 6 «&e <S5?eat ©oul of $>atn 
 
 Intellectual aad Moral Operations, 
 whcreia it is univerfelly acknow- 
 ledge to be made in the Image of 
 God .• So that the former Parts of the 
 Difcourfe defcrib'd , what a kind of 
 Being, and of what exalted Motion 
 this Intellect or Underftanding is 5 
 and that an Intellect can be no left 
 than fuch a Beings or, no left a Being 
 than fuch a one, and of fiich a Moti- 
 on, can be an Underftanding} and 
 that fuch a Being, fo moving, muft be, 
 can be no left , can be no other than 
 an Underftanding. What now fol- 
 lows, (hall be defign'd more clofcly 
 to difcover what the Intelle&uality 
 of this Great Being, and its Self-moti- 
 on are 5 or what Underftanding it 
 fclf, and the Motions of Underftand- 
 ing are. In which purfuit, I will firft 
 make (bme difplay upon this great 
 Matter, in that frequent Refemblance 
 of it by Light, the Scripture fo much 
 delights to ufe concerning it. 
 Pro?. 20. The Spirit of a Man is the Candle 
 V' of the Lord) finning into and fearch- 
 
 ing the inner mofi parts of the Belly. 
 The Soul of Man, as it is an Under- 
 ftanding , is a great Light refle&ed 
 upon it felf. 
 
 This 
 
€ De ©?ea t ®oul of ® a tu 1 87 
 
 This is the Soul, a Beam from the 
 Sun, a Candle lighted from the Light 
 of Heaven $ and the Light of this 
 Candle is ever dreaming out, and re- 
 flowing upon it felf $ like a Diamond 
 always playing with , and in its own 
 Light : It may be cover'd over, and 
 hid 5 it may be ma(qued with the 
 thicknels and grofnefs of Earthly Va- 
 pours from Body : but it is infepara- 
 ble from its Nature, to be Light : It 
 cannot but in fome degree ftiine, and 
 (end out it felf, though its Beams be 
 but pale and wan , but when it hath 
 any greater freedom, or when it in- 
 duftrioufly and refolvedly moves it 
 felf, there is a Circle of Rays about 
 it, that have broken out from it felf. 
 In its Creation , in its Native Splen- 
 dour, to allude to that of the Pro- 
 phet , It was an anointed Cherub up- Ez«k.2». 
 on the Holy Mountain of God-, it , *> 14, 
 walked up and down in the midfi of 
 the Stones of Fire , and every Preci- 
 ous Stone was its Ornament : It was 
 of an Angelical Brightnefs , near to 
 God 5 and Divine Glories , and all 
 the Excellencies of Underftandiog, 
 were its proper Luftre : and in Eter- 
 nity it will again rend all its Clouds, 
 
 and 
 
188 Zbt <&mt <§:ul of ^ait* 
 
 and fhine without interruption, atjl 
 
 For Ever. 
 
 The Soul of Man is a Light begc 
 
 James I. ten of the Father of Lights, and tl 
 
 Heb.12. 9 , Fatl2er of Spirits. Lights and Spir: 
 
 ' explairt one another 5 for Ration 
 
 and Intellectual Spirits, and their I 
 
 telle&ual Accomplifhments , are 1 
 
 Lights. 
 
 The Increated and All-creating Sd 
 rit is the Father of them, with who: 
 perfect Light there is no variatio, 
 nor foadow of turning. He is Ligh, 
 as well in that as he is All-unde 
 1 John 1. (landing, as All-pure 3 and in him 
 5- no Darkncfs at all, either of Ign< 
 
 ranee, or Unrighteoufhefs. 
 
 The Son of God is The Light. T 
 John 1. the All-knowing Spirit theLight Jh 
 & 8 ' neth as the Day. The Darkjicfs anl 
 12. the Light are both alike to him , 
 
 caufe Himfelf is All Light. 
 
 The Angels are Seraphims r fjinih 
 and burning Lights => He maketh h 
 Ange Is Sp i vits, h i s Miniflers a flan 
 s of Wire. 
 * The Life of the Souls of Men, th 
 h , their Life of Reafon, is Ligl 
 lighted fronuhe Son of Gcd.5 for h 
 Lifel communicating it felf, is th 
 
 Ligl 
 
tltjc <S?eat ©oul of $9an* 1 8.9 
 
 ll/gif of Men 5 He is /£<** 7>t/c L/^Af, j hn. 1.9. 
 
 l ihat inlightneth every Man that com- 
 eth into the World, 
 
 Light then being chofcn by the Di- 
 vine Wifdom, as the moft eafie and fa- 
 
 'miliar Conveyance of the Nature and 
 Excellency of Spirits in general, as 
 
 ''they are Intellects 5 and particularly, 
 
 ^of Mans Soul, as it is an Underftand- 
 ing : Let us confider the principal 
 
 JSenfe and Intention , avoiding .the 
 Notices of lower and collateral Simi- 
 litude, between Light, and the Soul 
 of Man. 
 
 That which will beft conduft us to 
 our main purpofe, is the Defcription 
 the Apoftle gives us of Light, That it 
 makes manifeji } For whatever (fays Ephef. $ . 
 he) makes manifeft^ is Light: To *3« 
 which our own Experience fully 
 agrees 5 for we can make no Difco- 
 very nor Judgment of Things, but 
 by Light, that expounds all things to 
 us, and is the firft and plained Com- 
 mentary upon. Nature. When we 
 therefore fay , Man s Soul is a great 
 Light refle&ed upon it felf, we (peak 
 this Senfe. 
 
 The Underftanding of Man mani- 
 fefts^and lays open, and makes known 
 
 within 
 
190 Q$e ©?eat ©our of $)am 
 
 withia the Soul, and within it 
 
 (Tor it felf is the Soul) whatfbevc 
 
 known to the Soul, or the underfta 
 
 ing of man by that, which difcoi 
 
 and difclofesto it felf all that iskno 
 
 to its f° r thus our Saviour fays, 
 
 light of the body is the Eye^ beca 
 
 it receives the light, and fees by 
 
 fo the Underftanding is the Eye of i 
 
 Soul 5 and further it is its own lig 
 
 fo that it is its own Eye and its o 
 
 Light s but the manner and way h< 
 
 this is to be undcrftood, and by wh 
 
 the Underftanding difcharges t 
 
 great Fun&ion, is of further enquiry 
 
 There can be no doubt of the thi 
 
 it felf, for befides the great pro< 
 
 the Soul of man hath given hereof 
 
 thofe many foccefiful Experiments 
 
 hath made in all kinds of knowledg 
 
 even thofe that have denyed a Sc 
 
 diftinft from Body and Matter, in 
 
 - Effence, yet cannot but acknowledg< 
 
 There is fome excellent motion in ma 
 
 by which he underftands and perceiv 
 
 more than the Beafts of the Fiel 
 
 There is in fome fenfe or other A sp 
 
 rit inman^ and the breath of the A 
 
 mighty gives them underftanding* 
 
 This then being out of doubt, 1< 
 
«fce ®?eat Soul o( ® an* 1 9 1 
 
 us confider the infinity of Divine 
 Knowledge, and fo attain the mea- 
 (ures of Humane Underftanding in the 
 refemblances of him, in whofe like- 
 nefsit was made. We read of the Son 
 of God the true Light, that he per' Mirk 2. 8. 
 ceived in his own Spirit the thoughts 
 of men. The Son of God, an oranifci- 
 ent Spirit knows all things in the light 
 of his own Spirit, in that infinite un- 
 derftanding eflential to him 5 created 
 Spirits, the Souls of men, having a 
 meafure of this perfe&ion, a commu- 
 nication of it, though not as Chrift, 
 may alfo in a degree perceive in and 
 by their own Spirit. 
 
 God then underftands all things 
 within himfelf, he being all Eye, all 
 Light, able perfe&ly to fee into, and 
 comprehend all things, that either 
 are, or are ptffiible to be, or that can 
 poffibly ftand in the place of Ob jeft, 
 and all this within himfelf. For him- 
 felf being fully known to himfelf, as 
 an infinitely feeing and felf-refleded 
 eye 5 other things that are or may be, 
 are alfo within himfelf, as the origi- 
 nal of all Being and Motion : And as 
 his own Underftanding and Contri- 
 vance what they fhould be, and his 
 
 pleafure 
 
192 Hfce €>?eat Soul of $)ait. 
 
 pleafure they (hould be what he con-^ 
 trived them, gave them being and 
 motion 5 and there is no other way of 
 being and motion } thus arid on this 
 account, and infinitely beyond what 
 we can conceive and exprefs, God 
 knows what is, what is done by the 
 virtue that is in himfelf, and continu- 
 ally goes out of hiraielf 5 fo that by 
 virtue of himfelf perfe&ly known to 
 himfelf all other things are perfe&ly 
 known to himfelf alfo, Thus known 
 Aft.i$.i8. toGod are alibis Work* from the foun- 
 dation of the World : Even to him 
 who is all Eye, all Light, all Objeft, 
 and before whole infinite eye all 
 things ftand prefent at once, as one 
 fingle point, fo naked and open that 
 they are all perfect lurface and outfide, 
 while it felf refts on them. 
 
 The Soul made in thfs Image, is in 
 its degree Eye and Light, an intelle- 
 ctual Eye, an intellectual Light. The 
 motions of the reafoning contempla- 
 ting Soul are like the motions of the 
 Sun, an illuminating motion, light 
 and fparklesflye out: the openings of 
 its faculties are like the openings of 
 the Eye-lids of the morning, like fbme 
 Eyes that fee in the dark, by their 
 
 own 
 
Ct)e ©?eat % oul of S^am I 9 3 
 
 own fire 5 for what can the motions 
 ofan Underftanding, Conference, R.ea- 
 fon, intelle&ual Memory be, but mo- 
 ral and intelle&ual Light ? Its very 
 (elf is its Eye, and its motion its in- 
 lightened air. Thus it bears the Image 
 of the Divine Underftanding in its 
 vifive power. And that it may in (bme 
 lower degrees perceive in its own Spi- 
 rit, we may very rationally fuppofe$ 
 there are fome fundamental Ideas, 
 fome Images, fome Notions or Veri- 
 ties pourtrayed upon, and given to 
 the Soul, that are as fo many rays 
 from the Father of Lights and Truth, 
 and make it like the Eye full of Light 5 
 and it being natural to the Soul to 
 move it fclf, ("at leaft affoon as ever 
 it is excited by Objedt from without) 
 it firft makes a furvey upon things 
 abroad, with the obfervation of which 
 it immediately retires into it (elf, to 
 find what is within, and when ever the 
 Soul thus moves through the intimacy 
 of thefe to it, they move alfo, and 
 refalt to the Soul } upon this their ap- 
 pearance to the Soul, the Soul rea- 
 fons about them, judges of them, and 
 finding their clofe connexion with it 
 felf, eftablilhes, and fettles them, as 
 O affured 
 
i94 CJje ©?eat ftoul of $Jam 
 
 aflured principles, of which it cannot 
 doubt, having an immediate native 
 power to difcern, and approve them 
 upon their appearance to it felf, and 
 its own a&uation of it felf upon them 5 
 and fo they become to it in (pecula- 
 tion and enquiry foundations to build 
 all further knowledge and affurance 
 upon. By thefe the Soul takes its 
 meafures, and finds out the propor- 
 tion of things at further diftances 
 from it, and reduces them under its 
 own cognifance and jurifdiftion 5 it 
 makes its fearches into thole Objefts 
 that ftrike it from without, accord- 
 ing to thofe Tefts of Truth it hath 
 within 5 and thefe are the Kotveu 'Iwqicu 
 fo much fpoken of in fpeculation or 
 fcience, and in things that pertain to 
 pra&ice, and that vo^O- %yye?*l&, that 
 Rom. 2. Law written in the Heart, the Law of 
 J 4>'5- mature, the Soul hereby becoming a 
 Law to it felf 
 
 The Soul then encompaffed with 
 thefe Beams- trysail things in the light 
 of its own Countenance, and judges 
 of them there, in fome lower propor- 
 tions of likenefs to God $ I fay in (bme 
 lower proportions, for whereas the 
 Divine Understanding comprehends 
 
 all 
 
tCDe ©?eat ©oul of 29am 1 9 5 
 
 all things within it felf, in the Souls 
 of men we do not fuppofe thefc Noti- 
 ons to extend further, than to thofe 
 things that do intimately concern the 
 perfe&ion and happinefs of mans Be- 
 ing, being either fuch as do immedi- 
 ately fit it for the enjoyment of God, 
 the true eftimation of, and care for it 
 felf, the Duties of intrinfick goodnefs 
 towards men} or are the neceflary 
 foundations of all Knowledge, aud 
 lb prepare it for intelle&ual advances. 
 So that as to the perfeftion of Divini- * 
 ty pertains Omnifciency, refuking 
 from his Nature or Univerfal Being, 
 fo to the perfe&ion of mans Being is 
 required a Science, though of a much 
 narrower fphere than Gods 5 even as 
 the Being of Man is infinitely narrower « 
 than the Being of God. 
 
 And although it be allowed to Hu- 
 mane Underftanding to examine and 
 fearch into all other things, that are 
 beyond the Confines of it felf, yet ex- 
 pofed to it by God, either in his Word 
 or Works, and toafpireto fome imi- 
 tation of the Knowledge of God, it 
 cannotwithftanding do it only by pur- 
 fuits of Reafon, knitting one princi- 
 ple to another, and deriving one thing 
 O 2 from 
 
1 9 6 tlfte 6 ?eat ©oul of $)am 
 
 from another, and all this in a way of 
 treaty with the things, and refle&ing 
 them within that great mirror of it 
 felf, to it felf, and fo underftanding 
 them as far as it can $ not as God, 
 who fees all things as in one view,and 
 within himfelfj yet to the perfe&ion 
 of Knowledge, even to the.utmoft that 
 things can be known. 
 
 In the fecond place, Although I 
 cannot fee, how the Soul can judge of 
 things without fuch a ftandard, fuch 
 a principle, connatural to it, by which 
 it may examine all things, if there be 
 not fomething within, that anfwers to 
 the offertures from without 5 and 
 what can that be fo well, as certain 
 hidden Charafters of Truth, created 
 with the Soul, that immediately leap 
 up at the firft falutation of Things 
 from abroad, and do more plainly 
 difcoverthemfelves upon farther Trea- 
 ties ? Yet if any will allow no more, 
 than a power of difcerning and judg- 
 ing of things, of which I have already 
 fpoken, and will have it, that all the 
 Soul hath to work by is this only, 
 and all it hath to work upon are the 
 Objefts offered from without to it by 
 fenfe^ from which it receives in all 
 
 appea- 
 
Q)e Gjeat ©oulof £Jam 197 
 
 appearances, and by its motions upon 
 them fearches and finds out their Na- 
 tures, and ftays the Images of them in it 
 (elf,asSenfe hath taken them,tillitcan 
 underftand them 5 we will not difpute, 
 but fuppofe, that as God brought be- 
 fore Adam the feveral Creatures to 
 fee what he would call them, there- 
 in recommending them to that Soul 
 he had fo newly breathed from him- 
 felf, that, in that yet unftained and 
 unfullied Light, they might be di- 
 fcerned and pronounced of 3 fo are the 
 feveral things in the world firft ex- 
 pofed to the Senfcs, and by them re- 
 commended from hand to hand, till 
 they are brought into the very pre- 
 fence of the Soul, and there, though 
 not with that fpeed, eafe, clearnefs, 
 and certainty, as at firft, yet are per- 
 ceived, comprehended, and judged 
 of by it 5 and from this confidering 
 and understanding things arife fpee- 
 dily fome ftandard principles of Truth, 
 which being fettled, advance it in its 
 afpirings to further knowledge and 
 notices of Things. 
 
 3. The Soul is a great Receptacle 
 of all that Light, that is offered to it 
 from without, it is prepared in its na- 
 O 3 ture . 
 
198 C&e ©?eat ©oul of $tam 
 
 ture to be kindled and illuftrated by- 
 all Rational Propofes , either from 
 God the higheft Underftanding, from 
 Angels by Divine Appointment, from 
 reprefentations of Reafon, propofed 
 by one man to another, either by 
 fpeaking or writing 3 fo that all the 
 Knowledge former Ages have derived 
 upon thefe that come after, and all 
 the Monuments of Learning that 
 have been fet in any time or part of 
 the World, and the mutual Conver- 
 sion that Learned men have one with 
 another, increafe this Light : Thus the 
 Underftandings of men are as fo many 
 Torches enlightening and enflaming 
 one another. 
 
 This way of exciting Reafon and 
 Underftanding to its proper motion, 
 and a&ion, and fo heightening it to 
 its native fplendour, feems the moft 
 plain, general, and experimental : and 
 though all fuch addrefles fuppofe that 
 inward power and virtue of the mind, 
 and by their fuccefs prove there is fuch 
 a one 5 yet it muft be confefled, the 
 Underftanding of Man does common- 
 ly lye dead, till it be in this manner 
 raifed : And therefore it may be ac- 
 knowledged, that the great Learning 
 
 and 
 
C&e ©?eat Soul of £)atu 199 
 
 and Knowledge that is in the 
 World, hath been at firft by inltru&i- 
 on, or inward reprefentation from 
 God to Mans Soul, and from Men fo 
 inftrufted to thofe that have received 
 from them by the fame way of difci- 
 pline and inftruccion. 
 
 Yet this derogates no farther from 
 the inward and native power of Mans 
 Soul, than to acknowledge that the 
 motions of it are fuppreffed by Bodi- 
 ly obftru&ion, and flumbred by that 
 ignorance which is fallen as an unna- 
 tural dimnefs upon it, degrading it 
 becaufe of fin, from which it is yet 
 vindicated by earned and vehement 
 ftirring it felf 5 but this dimne(s is at- 
 fo accompanied with a lothnefs to ftir 
 at all, or at leaft not with fuch an ear- 
 neftnefs as is neceiTary, except it be 
 fomeway incited, awakened, and in- 
 couraged$ and the moft ufual and fit 
 way is that of Infcruftion } which doth 
 at the fame time lay together the hid- 
 den, and almoft buried fparks, and 
 alfo blow them up into a light flame } 
 for which reafon we commit the minds 
 of Children early to Matters and Tu- 
 tors, who may draw out and fharpcn 
 this Underftanding. And yet to tliew 
 O 4 Under- 
 
200 C&e ©aeat Soul of g^atu 
 
 Underftanding hath its force from it 
 felf, and not from Inftru&ion, Teach- 
 ers are often exceeded by thofe whom 
 they have taught. Sometimes Inftru- 
 ftion is but a fhort hint or intimation 
 to the Soul, quick of apprehenfion, 
 that prefently enlarges much further 
 upon it 5 and many Inftances there are 
 of thofe, who have cut their own 
 way to Knowledge, and fuch a one 
 as hath been altogether untrodden be- 
 fore them. Notwithftanding this, 
 the advantage of Inftruftion is evi- 
 dent, and moft evident in that part of 
 Knowledge, which concerns us to- 
 wards God, the Knowledge of his gra- 
 cious Intentions towards us, and our 
 Duty to him } wherein Divine Reve- 
 lation hath been always the firft, and 
 is ever the njoft fure and undoubted 
 Guide. 
 
 Yet even in this the Spirit of Man 
 is. the Candle of the Lord: For God 
 doth not, that he may make known 
 himfelf, create any new Underftand- 
 ing $ but applies himfelf in Grace to 
 his firft Creation, the Soul of Man, of 
 which there is no abolition by Divine 
 Illumination $ but, as the Scripture 
 fpeaks pf the Sun , the Light of it 
 
 grows: 
 
TEfje ®?eat ©oul of ®ait» 201 
 
 grows feven-fold: The Candle that 
 burnt dim, and was even choak'd up, 
 is trimm'd, and becomes Light on 
 all fides, and fends out its Beams from 
 every part. 
 
 The Sum then is this .• The Soul of 
 Man is the fame .Candle of the Lord, 
 whofe Natural Power of Underftand- 
 ing is rais'd and made more clear by 
 the Irradiation of Inftruftion , whe- 
 ther the Power be an innate Force of 
 Trying and Judging of Things by it 
 felfj as it is a Faculty able to try and 
 judge by the Nature of its Being, or 
 by fome implanted Sentiments given 
 to it with its Being, or by Maxims to 
 be colle&ed by it felf through the 
 miniftery and mediation of Senfe. 
 
 However thefe things be , it is al- 
 ways of the Nature of Underftanding, 
 that there be a Refentment and Feel- 
 ing of the agreeablenefs of Truth to 
 it felf: There muft be a Knowing in 
 its own Spirit, by every Intelligence, 
 the Reafonablenefs and Verity of the 
 Things propos'd, or there can be no 
 Underftanding. 
 
 Even Faith it felf is an Intelle&ual, 
 that is, anExplicite, notanlmplicite 
 Aft 5 elfe it would be but a meer 
 
 childifh 
 
302 C&e <S5?eat ©oul of $>am 
 
 childifh Memory of what hath been 
 receivd, as Catechifm : But all true 
 Afts of Underftanding have a Tafte 
 and Relifh 5 and what is proposed to 
 Mind, muft have a Guftfulnefs to it : 
 Knowledge and Faith not at all dif- 
 fering in this, but onely that in things 
 of Knowledge, the Underftanding ar- 
 rives at that Knowledge , or at leaft 
 acquiefces in it, upon Grounds more 
 its own 5 in things of Faith, by Affu- 
 rances more out of it felf, yet having 
 Inftrumentsof its own for the accepta- 
 tion of fuch, when fo offer' d 3 Chara- 
 cters and Tefts within it felf, of what 
 is offer *d, whether it be worthy to be 
 believd} Reftntments within it (elf 
 of ^leafure or Trouble, according to 
 the Quality of what it hath received, 
 when fo offer'd. 
 
 To draw all this that hath been 
 fpoken , to what is mainly to be in- 
 tended, that is, That the Underftand- 
 ing is the Candle of the Lord, efpe- 
 cially lighting us to himfelf: Let us 
 therefore inquire after fome Princi- 
 ples that are Standards in the great 
 Concernments we have with God 5 
 which whether they are fettled in the 
 Soul by the Hand that created it, or 
 
 do 
 
€&e ©?eat Scul of g©am 20? 
 
 da immediately refult from the Ob- 
 fervation of Things without, impro- 
 ved by the Mind, running through its 
 own Circuits and Trains of Reafon 
 concerning them ; or whether it is 
 led into them by the Inftruftions God 
 is (till giving into the World 3 or whe- 
 ther all thele concur to their eftablifh- 
 ment in the heart of Man 5 yet they 
 are fuch, as are univerfally confented 
 in, and are the Foundation of Religi- 
 ous Pra&ice, and al(b fuch a Recepta- 
 cle for fupematural Revelation, that 
 there it maybetafted, acknowledged, 
 and favoured as Divine , with thefe, 
 as with a Helm, the great Governour 
 of Spirits turns them whitherfoever he 
 lijieth, either for Conviftion or Ck>n- 
 verfion, Repentance and Reformati- 
 ou} or (as he plcafes) to Self-con- 
 demnation: And all the boifterouf 
 nefs of their contrary affe&ions are 
 overrul'd and controlled hereby. Such 
 Principles I efteem thele Four. 
 
 That there is a God : The Soul can- Prh.crp. i, 
 not move, but it acknowledges God $ 
 a Soul cannot lookup, but it lees God 5 
 and this Principle in the Soul is a great 
 Light: God hath fo carved himfelf 
 into Underftanding, that there cannot 
 
 be 
 
204 <E&* <SS;eat Soul of ggtam 
 
 be an Underftanding in Motion and 
 A&ivity, but there muft be a fight, a 
 conception, an apprehenfion of fuch 
 a Being as God 5 as the Eye cannot 
 open, but it fees the Light 5 or if it 
 feems to lye hid, yet upon the leaft 
 collifion, as between the Flint and 
 Steel, upon any conflict of Thought 
 with it felf, or with the Propofe of 
 this Truth from without, this Light 
 breaks forth : It is manifeft in men, 
 Rom.1.19, becaufe God hath Jhewed it to them $ 
 that is, In the very making them Souls 
 he hath fet it in them : In the firft fo- 
 lemn a&ion of the Underftanding, the 
 acknowledgment of a Supreme Being 
 rebounds and leaps up to them $ the 
 Scjpl no fooner fees any thing by in- 
 ward fenfe, but it fees God the Au- 
 thor, as a Man that fees the impreffi- 
 on in the Wax prefently thinks of the 
 Seal : Many Men endeavour to rejeft 
 and difannul this Principle, but they 
 cannot deface it, much le(5 wear out 
 the apprehenfion. And when the Soul 
 hath conlldered further, and more ve- 
 hemently, the more it reafons, the 
 more it confirms, and fettles it (elf ia 
 the affurance of the Divine Beings 
 even when it endeavours to Reafon 
 
 out 
 
title ffijeat ©oul of $9an* 205 
 
 out this Belief of it, it prevails the 
 more: And befides what it hath with- 
 in concerning God, The invijible Things y. 20, 
 of him from the Creation of the World 
 are clearly feen^ being underftood by 
 the Things that are made and done-, 
 even his eternal Tower and Godhead. 
 So that the Soul can neither confider 
 without nor within but it fees God. 
 
 That we have a Soul : Many have Ftlnap. a; 
 violently oppreffed this Senfe, thus 
 far, as to deny a Soul, a Spirit, diftinft 
 in its Eflence , yet they cannot but 
 acknowledge a vehemency of Motion, 
 an A&ivity that teaches us more than 
 the Beajis of the Field : Every man 
 muft fay, There is a Spirit in Man 
 above any other Creature^ a force ahd 
 excellency of Motion, the Motion of 
 Reafon and Underftanding : No Man 
 can ftir, but he finds, There is a Breath 
 of the Almighty that gives him Vn- 
 derjianding. 
 
 Now thefe two Principles, as they 
 do mutually enlighten one another, (o 
 they give great and illuftrious light to 
 all holy Practice 5 they enlighten 
 themfelves^ for he that apprehends 
 a God, whole very Being is abfolute 
 Perfection, retires out of all things 
 
 bodily 
 
2o6 €&e ©?eat ©oul of $}am 
 
 bodily and weak, to conceive aright 
 of him, and find him out 5 and when 
 he is thus underftood, the Notion of 
 an inferiour and fubordinate Spirit 
 that yet hath a likenefs to him, is ea- 
 fie: And whoever finds out in him- 
 felf a diviner part than Body, hath an 
 eafie afcent to God, in whom all the 
 leffer Perfe&ions of his own Being 
 are trati(cended,and at the height. And 
 how do they both fliine upon holy 
 Praftice, feeing God is the great both 
 Exemplar and Argument of all Good- 
 nefs ! And no Man can fuppofe him- 
 (elf to have received fuch great pow- 
 ers of Understanding for mean, much 
 left unworthy ends, but that he (hould 
 be holy, and like God by them. 
 
 Princip. 3. The excellency of Holinefs and true 
 Goodnefs, and the Evil of Sin and 
 Vice are immediately felt by the Soul : 
 A diftinftion between Good and Evil 
 is'the next thing to an Underftanding, 
 and hereupon excufing Apologies and 
 Accufations are tranfafted within the 
 Soul, concerning all our a&ions. 
 
 Princip. 4. An after ftate of Reward or Pu- 
 nifhment: All thefethe Soul hath ve- 
 ry near it, and though it may be di- 
 fturbed by contrary pretences, yet 
 
 the 
 
'£t>e <8>?eat Soul of &m* 207 
 
 the Images of thefe can never be wi- 
 ped out, but even when it feems to 
 be pcrfwaded otherwife, yet it is ftill 
 encountred with thefe appearances: 
 The Soul is fo imprinted with thefe 
 Notions, that it can never look into 
 it felf, but it finds them, and they are 
 the very light of its Count endnce^ which 
 it cannot but fee, and fee by, when- 
 ever it ads it felf. 
 
 And by thefe Principles, either 
 created with Man, or further commu- 
 nicated to him, he tryes and fearches, 
 and is able to difcern the things offer- 
 ed to him by God 5 for I am fully per- 
 waded, there is no greater tryal, nor 
 affurance of Revelation, than the 
 Principles of Natural Religion, clear- 
 ed and confirmed by that Revelation, 
 giving a lafting and fetled affurance to 
 the mind in its cooleft and moft quiet 
 debates, after it hath been alarmed, 
 and approached by Miracles. 
 
 By thefe a Man is able to move yet 
 further, into the concatenations and 
 connexions of Truth with Truth, and 
 judges by them, as a Touch-ftone 
 within it felf$ and being aided and 
 affifted by the Spirit of God, the Spi- 
 rit of Man becomes a much higher 
 
 Light : 
 
208 i&pe oojear seow or £>an. 
 
 Light: For by that higher illuniina 
 tion of the Supreme Light, the Spiri: 
 i Cor. 2. of God, It judges fas the Apofth 
 *5- fays J <*Z? things 5 fearches into at 
 
 points of Knowledge, tryes and exa 
 mines, determines and pronounces o 
 every Thing propofed to it either b) 
 God or Men , Tet it felfis judged hj 
 no Man $ that is, No Man is able tc 
 give a clear and perfeft account ofil 
 in this life, either in its Nature as 2 
 Spirit, or its gracious ftate, as renew- 
 ed by the Spirit of God. But in 
 Eternity, this Lamp, thus enlightened 
 by Grace, (hall perfectly (hine out 
 and break forth 5 It (hall be as the 
 Stars of the Firmament, full of great- 
 eft Glory and moft comfortable Iqflu- 
 Dan.12.3. ence : They that be wife^ Jhall Jfjine 
 as the Firmament and Stars^ and as 
 the Sun^ that is, This Lamp (hall 
 (hine out with all the addition of 
 Light and Luftre, Oriency and Beau- 
 ty, both of Knowledge and Purity, 
 Glory and Happinefs. If it be not 
 thus $ it will be as a Fire-brand, as a 
 Furnace of enraged Fire, as a flaming 
 Torch tormented with its own Light, 
 and tortured without end in its own 
 Flame. 
 
 For 
 
€&e ©jeat ®oui of ©an* 209 
 
 For this Light of the Soul is the ve- 
 ry Light of Heaven 5 it is a Light that 
 is Divine, and can never be put out } 
 It is a Beam of that Light, and cannot 
 be quenched. The Soul in its own 
 Effence is a Spark from Heaven, like 
 the Light of a Diamond, a fubftance 
 fo folid, that it cannot corrupt nor 
 moulder. The Light of Truth fhining 
 in thefe Principles is Divine, and of 
 Eternal Truth: Thefe with their Con- 
 fequences are always true 5 even as 
 thole acknowledged Principles of Sci- 
 ence, which all Underftandings do, 
 and muft acknowledge. 
 
 The Soul then being a Light Co un- 
 quenchable, (more lafting than thofe 
 Lamps of ancient Times, that have 
 been found burning many Ages after) 
 and the Principles of Truth inlaid in- 
 to its very ElTence, being as lafting 
 as it 5 there muft be ever a luftre of 
 Glory and Happinefs about it, or a 
 Blaze of Torment , according to the 
 fenfe the Soul hath of its friendthip 
 with God, and the Light he hath en- 
 lightened it with, or the enmity and 
 refiftance it hath made thereunto , for 
 accordingly this Light is again friend- 
 ly, and the God of it gracious to the 
 P Soul 5 
 
2 1 o €&e ©ieat ©oul of $5an. 
 
 Soul} and, in the juft indignation of 
 that God, the Light alfb, feeing it can 
 neither be friendly nor extinguiflaed, 
 muft needs vex and amaze, like an 
 angry Light that (corches and dazles 
 together. 
 
 Thus I have difcovered the firft 
 part, That the Soul is a Light. The 
 fecond part is, That this Light is re- 
 flected 5 It is the Candle of the Lord^ 
 ft arching the innermofl farts of the 
 Belly 5 that is, Turning it felf inward 
 upon all the fecrets and retirements of 
 a Man. 
 
 This Light is a Light not only Ali- 
 ning forward, and looking into things 
 without, but fhining backward, and 
 looking upon it felf: So far as the 
 Soul goes back, fo far this Light goes 
 back upon, and into it felf. 
 
 The Soul may be refembled to that 
 Breajl-plate of Vrim and Thumniim, 
 upon Aarons Heart , the Vrim^ as 
 Lights, difcerning Things abroad, 
 and the Thnmmim, as perfection or fin- 
 cerity, judging the goodnefs and in- 
 tegrity of it fel£ 
 
 This Light is not only reciprocated 
 with it felf, after the manner of an Un- 
 demanding, but after the manner of 
 a Confcience. Both 
 
tE&e ©#at ®oul of $)am 2 1 1 
 
 Both ways it differs from the Sua 
 and Stars 5 they fhine, but they do 
 not know upon what they fhine, they 
 bring home no light or obfervation, 
 concerning all thofe things upon 
 which they ftiine .• Herein the Soul 
 differs as an Underftanding 5 for it 
 confers with it felf concerning all 
 things, upon which its Light (hines. 
 
 Again, The Sun and Stars they 
 ftiine, but do not know they fhine,nor 
 can refleft upon themfelves, as fuch 
 Bodies of Light and Glory 5 nor can 
 they at all judge of themfelves, or 
 what they do, how glorious they are 4 
 or what fpots are upon them, when 
 they are fhadowed or eclipfed , or 
 when they ftiine in their full Luftre : 
 Herein they differ from the Soul, as a 
 Confidence. 
 
 The Soul knows it knows, as well 
 as what it knows, it cannot but know 
 and feel it knows, and is efpecially 
 knowing of it felf, and its own Mo- 
 tions : Thus it excels Natural Light, 
 yet Light gives fome refemblaace 
 hereof s Light comes into a Room, it 
 comes in at one end of the Room and 
 leaps to the other, it leaps back again, 
 and Alines in its own face: The Soul 
 P 2 is 
 
1 1 2 Clje <8?eat Soul of $)an* 
 
 is this through-light, which meets it 
 felf, and reciprocates with it (elf, in- 
 circles it (elf within it felf. This is the 
 Soul which fhines upon, and back, into 
 and within, and round about it felf. 
 
 As to inftance firft in the Light of 
 Dire&ion it gives: It knows that it 
 knows what is to be done. When the 
 Soul hath fhined to it felf concerning 
 doing good, and avoiding (in, it knows 
 it hath done fo, and God will challenge 
 men upon their own Knowledge, and 
 they will never be able to deny their 
 Knowledge : No man can deny his 
 Knowledge to God, or to himfelf,even 
 as a man cannot deny his Knowledge to 
 another man, that knows his Know- 
 ledge together with him , much left to 
 God, or to himfelf, who are (b per- 
 fectly acquainted with him, and all 
 his ways : For the Soul in all cafes is 
 made to (hine in its own Face, and the 
 fecrets of it are in the greater Light of 
 Gods Countenance. 
 
 2. For Convi&ion of what a man 
 is and hath done : Every man muft 
 confefs, and cannot deny his own 
 A&ions 5 a man muft confefs, and can- 
 not deny his own A&ions to himfelf, 
 nor a general Character of himfelf to 
 
 himfelf 3 
 
%\>t ©?eat Soul of 39am a 13 
 
 himfelf 3 every man is accufed or de- 
 fended by his own Knowledge: Eve- 
 ry man knows his own fincerity, good 
 intention, good aftion, and is confei- 
 ousofthe contrary: Hence the con- 
 demnation and the horrour a man re- 
 ceives within himfelf, and fo the com- 
 fort and joy of a man, is clear and cer- 
 tain j The heart knows its own fukc Prov * I 4« 
 nefs and Us own joy^ and a fir anger 
 cannot intermeddle with either^ he 
 cannot interpofe againft the judgment 
 of the Soul upon it felf} This is our 2Cor - r * 
 rejoycing^ the tefiimony of our Con- 
 science. A man proves himfelf and Ga ^ tt 6 '*' 
 his own work,-, and hath rejoycing in 
 his own good fenfe of himfelf or trou- 
 ble in his own Cenfure, and not in 
 that, of another. 
 
 As a man knows, and finds himfelf 
 in himfelf, in a natural fenfe , fo in a 
 moral, The Spirit of a Man knows the 
 things that are within him. We may 
 fay in this cafe, as in things of fecrecy, 
 I know what I know 5 and as in things 
 of certainty, what I know I know. 
 
 The fum is this : In things that are 
 
 under dire&ion, no man can rcfufe, 
 
 deny, or refift the prefence of his own 
 
 Knowledge, in what he does know, 
 
 P 3 any 
 
20, 21, 
 
 a 14 «i)e ©?eat ©oul of $©an* 
 
 any more than he can refift the day, 
 To him therefore that knows it is fin^ 
 and commits it, or good, and omits it, 
 to him it is fin of a deep dye. 
 
 In things of fentence and judgment 
 upon a mans felf, if a mans heart con- 
 demns him , God is greater than his 
 Heart. His Knowledge and purity 
 are greater, and therefore condemns 
 him more 3 but yet God knows a man 
 together with his heart, and condemns 
 him together with it, andmoftofall 
 1 Joh. 5. within it : If a mans heart condemn 
 him not, he hath confidence, and juft 
 ground of it, towards God 5 becaufe 
 the very witnefs of a mans heart con- 
 cerning him is true and is no lye. 
 
 There may be fome very particular 
 cafes, in which a man may be (b 
 clowded, as to deem more feverely of 
 himfelf, than his ftate deferves^ and 
 there may be fome dreams, in which 
 a man fancies himfelf better, than he 
 is 3 but not fuch as deferve to abate 
 from this general account of mans 
 Soul 5 for thefe miftakes are but tem- 
 porary, and by clofe attention it may 
 vindicate it felf from them. 
 
 But the great objection againft the 
 Soul being fuch a Light, is this : 
 
 If 
 
C&e ©jeat ©oul of $9am 215 
 
 If the Soul of man be fuch a Candle ob)e8. 
 of the Lord, how comes it to pafs, 
 that men are fo ignorant of things, and 
 of themfelves? 
 
 i . Thefe things are to be difcourfed Anfi*. 
 according to their own Truth, their 
 firft Nacure and Conftitution : Now 
 the Soul of Man was created fo$ and 
 it is ftill fo in its own Nature 5 though 
 there are many accidental Coverings 
 andObfcuringsof it in Men 5 as fome- 
 times the Light of the Sun hath grown 
 pale and wan, and the (hinings of it 
 withdrawn. 
 
 2. There fell indeed a great dim- 
 nefs upon this Light by the tin of Man, 
 and there need Lights from without, 
 and much Exercife from within, to re- 
 cover it 5 fo in great Judgments, the 
 Sun hath been turned into Sackcloth, 
 and the Moon into Blood. 
 
 5. There is much to be attributed 
 to its prefent ftatc, as thruft down in- 
 to a grofi Body, where it is covered, 
 like a Diamond inclofed in Clay, or 
 like thofe Lamps that burnt in Vaults, 
 and under ground. 
 
 4. How much is to be imputed to 
 
 thofe Steams and Vapours of Luft,and 
 
 Fogs of Senfual Appetite, that rife 
 
 P 4 up 
 
* i $ €&e ©?eat ©oul of *g)am 
 
 up and obfcure the Soul, like the Sun 
 in aCloudorMift? 
 
 5. There is a freedom of the Soul 
 and Underftanding, like that of the 
 Eye, though fome things dart in up- 
 on it, that it muft fee 5 and though 
 turning it felf every way, it muft al- 
 fo fee what it would not fee 3 yet it 
 can endeavour, and in part effeft the 
 turning it felf, from the obfervation 
 of things moft proper to it, andcon- 
 fider thofe that pertain only to the 
 prefent life, whither with all its vehe- 
 mency it carries its Light. 
 
 But laftly, and efpecially : There is 
 much more a Man knows of himfelf, 
 and Things, than hefeems to know. 
 How many things that are not found, 
 nor can be drawn into the difeourfe of 
 fome ignorant men, much left into 
 their pra&ice, that yet, when you tell 
 them of, they receive not as things 
 they never knew, but only as fuch 
 they have not dealt with, or ufually 
 ponverfed with 5 and upon more no- 
 table occafions, they break out from 
 them, in whom they were not fufpe&r 
 ed to have a place. 
 
 And concerning men themfelves, 
 though in their cafelefs demeanour 
 
 towards 
 
HHje ®?eat Soul of ©an. 2 1 7 
 
 towards themfelves, they flatter their 
 own hearts, and do not bring their 
 full Eye and Light upon themfelves 5 
 yet they have a fecret notice of them- 
 felves, a private mark of their own 
 condition 5 which, they know, is much 
 more true, than that forced or falfe 
 Opinion they endeavour to breed and 
 nurfe up of themfelves. 
 
 In fum therefore 5 I think the moft 
 ignorant man hath this Light in his 
 Soul, however covered 5 he hath it, 
 though it doth not outwardly fhew it 
 felf, but lyes ftill now, as it doth in 
 Children, without the notable difco- 
 veries of what it notwithftanding tru- 
 ly is, and will one day appear to be. 
 
 We fhould all therefore ferioufly 
 confider what we are, what Souls we 
 have: There is fuch a Lamp in us, 
 though it be but as under a Bed or 
 Bufhel. As it is moft neceffary to 
 confider, what Duft we are in our 
 Bodies, fo to apprehend what Spirit 
 we are in our Souls 5 it is a great de- 
 gree of wifdom to know the frail con- 
 dition of our Mortality, but it is a 
 fir greater to know the Immortality 
 of our Souls. As Princes in their Glo- 
 ry, and in whom Mortality was ad- 
 vanced 
 
2 1 8 C&e ®?eat Soul of $>am 
 
 vanced to the higheft, were admo 
 niftied by Remembrancers chofen on 
 purpofe, that they were of the fame 
 Clay with other men, capable of the 
 fame Corruption, Difeafe, Death 3 (b 
 they that carry their Souls loweft, 
 Ihould be put in mind by Men of 
 greateft Underftanding , Piety, fere- 
 nity of Conference, and others of 
 q\ ^ft Anguifh, and trouble of 
 mind, what Souls they have. Every 
 man may fee in them what themfelves 
 are, and that thofe Spirits within them 
 will be at laft either fhining Suns, or 
 ftaming Torches For ever: For in 
 Eternity God will certainly call out 
 alt Souls to their Office and Funftion 
 of Light 5 whether it be to Life and 
 Happinefs, or to Condemnation and 
 Mifery. 
 
 How great is the Mercy then., when 
 God calls out and uncovers this Light 
 now, and puts it into Motion,and en- 
 lightens it far higher, with the Know- 
 ledge of himfelf in Chrift 5 fb making it 
 direftive, confblatory, healing light, 
 from the healing wings of the Sun of 
 Right eoufnefs , Co making us Lights 
 Burning, Burning and Shining Lights 
 in his Light, which always makes 
 happy. Let 
 
C&e ©?eat ®oul of g@am 1 1 9 
 
 Let us continually afcend to the Fa- 
 ther of Lights in Chrifl, That Light, 
 that we may be Seraphim* dwelling 
 in that Everlafring Light, and Love, 
 whereinCod and Chrift inhabit. 
 
 Let us fear, though this Light (hall 
 indeed always burn, yet left it burn 
 black, left it caft the Darknefs of Mi- 
 fery in the mid ft of Knowledge, and 
 the Blacknefs of utter Difconfolate- 
 nefs, while it blazes with conviftion 5 
 that we become not wandring bla- 
 zing Stars, $x\\\ of the Light of convi- 
 <3:ion 3 but which turns us out as Fugi- 
 tives from God, and our felves, li\e 
 Cain having no peace, no reft in our 
 Knowledge 3 Wandring Stars, for 
 whom is referved the blacknefs of 
 darknefs, For Ever. For fo as this 
 Candle of the Lord fhall burn, fuch 
 as this Light is, holy and comfortable, 
 or condemning and tormenting 5 fo 
 fhall our ftate be, and that to Ever- 
 lafting. 
 
 lam now come down as low in the 
 Defcription I firft gave of the Soul, 
 as to fpeak of it as it is the Source 
 and Fountain of all the Actions of a 
 man 5 for fo it is, whether they are na- 
 tural or moral. 
 
 And 
 
220 €lje@?eat©DUlof^am 
 
 And as for natural, It is the moft 
 eafie defcription of the Soul to fay, it 
 is the Author of them 5 even as when 
 we would defcribe God with greateft 
 eafineftobeunderftood, we call him 
 the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the 
 Preferver of all things;' that gives to 
 all their Being, Breath, and Motion 5 
 fo we underftand the Soul with leaft 
 difficulty , when we fpeak of it, as 
 that which guides, and condufts, and 
 gives fpirit to all the motions of Body, 
 all the powers of that; That which a 
 lower Soul doth in Beafts, that the 
 higher doth in Man, but in a more no- 
 ble way. 
 
 For when God made Adam, and 
 formed him of Earth, and prepared all 
 the Inftruments of Motion and Aftion 
 in the Body 5 when this excellent and 
 curious Machine lay dead before him, 
 he breathed into it the Soul, to ftir 
 and move it, and to carry all the A&i- 
 on of it. 
 
 Or as a Muficians Inftrument, exact- 
 ly made and ftrung, the Muficians 
 Art comes as a Soul upon it 5 ftirs it, 
 and tunes the found of it, and then 
 ftrikes it into Harmony and Melody: 
 The firft Body given to Man, was 
 
€fee €5?eat Soul of ®am 2 2 1 
 
 <r»//* ^w^Jf, a Body fubfifting, a&ed 
 by a Soul 5 as the Body given in the 
 RefurredHon is called *fy*> vvtvtA&liKZv, 
 a Body that (hall fubfift and be afted 
 by a Spirit, that is, A Soul at the 
 higheft exaltation. 
 
 What is that then, that fees in the 
 Eyes? That hears in the Ears ? That 
 touches in the Hand, and feels in the 
 whole Body ? This is no other than 
 the Soul, and it does all this with the 
 fuperiority of a Rational Agent,much 
 otherwife than the Soul of a Beaft can 
 do: for there is a vein of Reafon and 
 Underftanding , that is, Rational Re- 
 fle&ions, direftions to Rational ends, 
 running along in the Souls afting the 
 Body. 
 
 When this Soul leaves this Body, 
 though all the Inftruments remain, yet 
 the power ceafes. 
 
 But ofthislwill no further enquire, 
 becaufe it is not to the main pur- 
 pofe. 
 
 In the fecond place, As we rile 
 higher concerning God, we exprefs 
 him an Infinite Wifdom and Under- 
 ftanding 5 an Infinite Juftice and Mer- 
 cy 5 a Holinels and Purity unfpotted, 
 governing the World in Righteoufnefs 
 
 and 
 
222 tlfje ©?eat ©oul of $9 an* 
 
 and Truth, and exercifing compani- 
 ons in it, which are nearer approaches 
 to the Being of God} fo hath the 
 Soul Powers of its own, Senfes, and 
 Affections, that clofely delcribe it. 
 
 What is it that Underftands ? That 
 Reafons? That defignsand contrives? 
 Whence are the Notions of Right and 
 Wrong, Good and Evil, and the fe- 
 veral Tendencies and Operations ei- 
 ther way? Whence are rational and 
 moral Joys? Defires and Delights? 
 Whence are intellectual Sorrows and 
 Complaints? All thefe are evidently 
 and apparently from fuch a Spring, as 
 the Soul, and to thefe it is we muft 
 now attend 5 and that we may do it 
 with better advantage, let us obferve 
 that Oracle of Solomon, given us in 
 the way ot Counfel : Keep thy heart 
 Prov. 4. with all Diligence, for out of it are 
 2 *' the Ifjues of Life : viz. Thofe lively 
 
 Motions and Actions, wherein the pe- 
 culiar life of a Man isdifcovered, and 
 which tend if fleered, and dire&cd 
 aright, to endlefs life. 
 
 To difcoilrfe hereof, f muft again 
 reflect upon the Spirit of a Man, the 
 Candle of the Lord, in regard of 
 whofe Light it is faid to Man, Keep 
 
 thy 
 
 
1E&e €5?eat ©oul of $D atw 223 
 
 Zry Heart 5 for it is more than if the 
 eart of Man were only bidden to 
 keep it fclf : But to this higher act of 
 the Spirit of Man are all the directions 
 of the Word of God addrefied, that 
 it would bear up it felf, and control 
 all the lower Motions of the Soul. 
 This therefore I conclude upon, That 
 from the Spirit of a man, as it is the 
 Candle of the Lord, (Lines a Ray, that 
 is by God preferved according to its 
 Nature, diftinft from all the Intereft 
 and Intrigues of the Soul, as it is cor- 
 rupted, that it may always bear wit- 
 nefs to himfelf, and be a Law within 
 a Man $ being not only a Witnefs and 
 a Judge, but a Receiver of the Di- 
 vine Difpleafure in the notices of it, 
 and an Executioner of it upon the 
 Soul 5 and fo in Men finally rebelli- 
 ous and difobedient, it becomes an In- 
 ftrument of punifhment. 
 
 And this Light it is a certain necef- 
 fary, and immediate aft of an Under- 
 ftanding, that cannot but be always 
 the fame, that can never be altered, 
 it being always for God and Goodneis 
 againft Sin, and the very Sinner in 
 whom it dwells, and muft and will 
 be the fame, even in Hell it felf, 
 
 where 
 
224 CDe ^eat ©ouf of $9an. 
 
 Jim.2. ip. where the Devils believe and tremble^ 
 and know they are juftly punifhed. 
 
 For as the Sun looking upon things 
 moft impure, always declares and 
 difcovers them, as they are, and can 
 do no otherwife} thus the Candle of 
 the Lord cannot but lay open all the 
 foulnefs that is in a Man 5 all the love 
 a Man hath to himfelf, and the com- 
 panion of his own Being, cannot bribe 
 it : All the rage againft God and Ho- 
 linefs that is in Hell, can never alter 
 this s elfe the fting of guilt, and hor- 
 rour of confcience, fo great a part of 
 Hell, would be taken away. 
 
 The Light of the Soul, as we have 
 before difcourfed, is the higheft Di- 
 rector of a Man to all that is good, 
 and is ever ready to be confalted with ^ 
 if the Good it propofes be embraced, 
 itrejoyces in it, applauds, praifcs, and 
 congratulates the Soul, and derives 
 jpy, pleafure, and happinels upon it: 
 But if that Good be not embraced, or . 
 the contrary Evil entertained, which 
 isdifTwaded} it then chides, upbraids, 
 and affli&s a man 5 and if there be no 
 Repentance, it extremely affii&s, and 
 affii&s for ever, enforcing fclf-abhor- 
 rence, and condemnation upon the 
 Soul. And 
 
€ be <2>jca r Soul of 30atu 22$ 
 
 And this untainted part, which is 
 no other, but the pure refult of Rea- 
 fon and true Underftanding, is always 
 in Glory, applauding the Juftice of 
 God againft the (inful Soul, in which 
 it lives, and is the very inftrument of 
 Mifery upon it, as depraved } for this 
 Light being but a (ingle Aft of the Un- 
 derftanding, and not obeyed, but a 
 folitary Verdift of the Mind , from 
 which the reft diflent, it can derive 
 no happinefs upon the Soul, but on 
 the contrary anguifh and affiiftion. 
 
 This being then preconfidered, let 
 us now more preffingly fearch the na- 
 ture of Mans Soul, as it is in Scrip- 
 ture ftiled, The Hearty and the Heart 
 out of which are the Ijfues of Life 5 
 firft drawing the powers of Rtafon 
 themfelves , and their motions, and 
 then (hewing them, as they are de- 
 rived, (for (o they are alwaysj into 
 one of thofe two Channels, Gopd or 
 Evil. 
 
 In the Heart then are all the powers 
 of Motion. 
 
 1. Here is the immediate direftive 
 
 Underftanding or Judgment, which 
 
 determines to Aftion^ and this is a 
 
 different thing from the Light of the 
 
 Q^ ~ Candle 
 
226 VL\)t ©?eat «& oul of ftatt* 
 
 Candle of the Lord, which is always 
 the fame 5 for this may be debated and 
 corrupted 5 it may mix it felf with 
 lower Confiderations } and in the ge- 
 nerality of Men it does fo, even to 
 the eclipfing and darkening the high- 
 er Light, not in it (elf, but in its ori- 
 ency and brightnefs upon the Soul 5 
 as the Sun is the fame, although its 
 Light may befhadowed from us. 
 
 But this pra&ical Underftanding, 
 however it may be corrupted, yet 
 hath the more immediate conduft of 
 all the aftions, and contains in it felf 
 the Guft, Tafte, and Motion of the 
 whole Soul, and immediately fore- 
 runs A&ion } for it determines things 
 with their Circumftances , it ballan- 
 ces diviner Reafons and Temptations 
 on the contrary part together 5 the 
 Love and Fear of God on one fide, In- 
 ticements from Flelh, and Blood, and 
 the World on the other. 
 - Now there is a great difference be- 
 tween thefe two 5 It is beft to be holy 
 and virtuous in it felf, and in general 5 
 and, It is beft for me in particular, and 
 in this particular Aftion to be holy : 
 Between thefe two 5 An Aft of Judg- 
 ment, as it refides in the Underftand- 
 
 ing5 
 
C&e <gjeat fi&oul of $)am 227 
 
 ing5 and an Aft of Judgment, as itin- 
 clines the whole Soul, Motion and 
 Aftion unto it. 
 
 This very pra&ical Underftanding 
 is in Scripture called The Heart, Let Pfor.23. 
 thy Heart be wife : It is thisWifdom ,$ ' 
 of the Heart that denotes a man Good, 
 not that moft clear Light that fhines 
 from above, and down upon the 
 Heart, not within it, but fo without 
 it, that it doth not refide in it, and 
 change it into it felf. 
 
 2. Here are the Will and Affe&ions, 
 which are the refolution, vehemency, 
 and keennefs of the Judgment, and 
 carry the notion of the neareft and 
 next Powers of A&ion. 
 
 3. Here is the Memory prefenting 
 anew the Images of Things part, and 
 offering what hath been obferved of 
 them heretofore, either as to their 
 ehufeablenefs or undefervingnefs : 
 Here is the Imagination difplaying 
 things new and old 5 and fo difplay- 
 ing them, that in things of leffer im- 
 portance, their appearance is greater 
 than themfelves 5 in Things of trueft, 
 and greateft Importance, by the help 
 of Imagination well imprinted, they 
 come nearer to their own greatnefs, 
 
 Q^2 and 
 
228 tltje ©?eat Soul of #atu 
 
 and appear much greater than they 
 would do elfe$ which is the great 
 benefit of fanftified Imagination : in 
 regard of which David prays, That 
 i Ghron. **od would keep it always in the ima- 
 39.18. ginations of the people^ to fear the 
 Lord) and keep his Laws. 
 
 4. Here is the refort of all outward 
 Obje&s, with their feveral Chara- 
 cters of Commendation or Difpraife 5 
 as Embaffies in the Court of a Prince, 
 (b are the feveral Propofes made, and 
 addrefled here, from thofe feveral Re- 
 gions } the Region above, which makes 
 Offertures of greateft Happinefs , and 
 the Region below, which fends alfb 
 ihe glozed Tenders of Good. 
 
 5. Here are the Habits rifing up by 
 the degrees of propenfions, inclina- 
 tion, temper, and readinefs to AdHon, 
 till by repeated A&ion they are fb fet- 
 tled, that they become the Treafnre of 
 the Hearty out of which it freely ex- 
 peods every moment, and at a minutes 
 warning, as occafion calls it out. 
 
 And from all thefe arife reftlefs mo- 
 tions, moves, and removes of the Soul 
 it felf, and of the Things within it 
 felf, about which it treats, endleft 
 Thoughts, Imaginations, Retnembran- 
 
 Mat. 12. 
 
 ce^ 
 
tEDe ©jeat ©out of 39am 229 
 
 ces, Willings, Hatings,Defirings, Aver- 
 fations, and Abhorrencies -, and thefe 
 in infinite mazes cutting one another: 
 fbme weaving one with another, and 
 mutually (lengthening themfelves^ 
 others contracting cool, and fufpend 
 the Soul to either part 5 fometimes the 
 Prints that have prevailed are defaced, 
 and new ones take 5 and thefe again 
 thruft out, and the former returning 
 in continual viciflitudes 3 fometimes 
 the Understanding encourages the Af- 
 feftions and other Powers, and they 
 if, as feveral Artificers in a Building 5 
 at other times there is a Confujion of 
 Languages among them , and they 
 bring forth only a Babel, 
 
 But at all times is found here, that 
 great conteft between the higher Soul, 
 and the Reafons and Di&ates of that, 
 and the contrary druggies of the low- 
 er, through its correspondencies and 
 intelligences with the Body, and its 
 Senfualities} the encounters between 
 the Law of the Mind and the Mem- 
 bers, which caufe great diftra&iqns 
 and rollings of the Soul, this way and 
 that way, according to the livelinefs 
 of the one, or the violence of the 
 other. 
 
 CI 3 Laftly, 
 
230 «tie ©|eat ©oul of $)am 
 
 Laftly, From the Heart arife both 
 fudden, and every way formed and 
 contrived Aftions, accomplithed,per- 
 fe&ed, and fledg'd 5 for all the form- 
 ing and beating out of aftions to this 
 or that fhape, are upon the Anvil of 
 the Heart, and thole that break out 
 on the inftant, had yet their firft mo- 
 tion from thence 5 even as all the Ar- 
 teries and Veins are from the natural 
 Heart, and it hath its Pulfes every 
 where } fo this Heart we fpeak of, 
 hath in this Life Moral and Intelle- 
 ctual. 
 
 Now that which makes the Confi- 
 deration of all we have fpoken in this 
 particular great, is, that according to 
 thefe Ijfues of life is the ftate of a Man 
 in Holinefs or Sin, and fo he is in an 
 order for Happinefs or Mifery here- 
 by. 
 
 For by thefe and all thefe, and no 
 other thing whatever, is a Man what 
 he is 5 with thefe a Man is holy, with 
 thefe he is wicked, nothing elfe gives 
 him his Temper, his Character 5 and 
 when thefe are twitted together, and 
 holily moved by the Grace of Cod, 
 and incited by heavenly motions, the 
 iKM° j5oul is then drawn with the Cords of 
 
 a Matt) 
 
VL\)t ©jeat ©mil of 89am 23 1 
 
 4 Afo#, but whea they are united in 
 Evil, it is drawing Iniquity with a Ifa. 5.19; 
 Cart-rope, and fin with the Cords of 
 Vanity, that is/of a Vain Heart. 
 
 For thefe being neither the higher 
 Reafon alone , neceffarily resulting 
 from the motion and excellency of an 
 Underftanding, nor being only the 
 meer fenfuality or inclination of Bo- 
 dy, but truly the fubftance, bulk, and 
 fubftantial powers and motions of a * 
 man 5 what a man is in thefe he truly 
 is. Further, the true genuine and 
 fincere motions of thefe are they that 
 try him 3 for which ever Sin or Holi- 
 nefs have the Ballance, and caft the 
 Scale, that a Man is. 
 
 For on one fide, the cunning Heart 
 (ends out fomeaftions out of choice 
 and inclination, only in complyance 
 with the higher Soul 3 ("for which it 
 cannot but have a reverence J and 
 again, fometimes, however it be in 
 its own native ftate corrupt, yet it is 
 forced to receive, or rather fuffers 
 the ftrongly agitated impreflions of 
 enlightened Confcience upon it : But 
 this is not accounted of with God, 
 who fees and trys the Heart, and 
 knows the ground and motion of all. 
 
 CL4 There 
 
S3 2 tl&e ®?eat Soul of *g)atn 
 
 There is alfo that unworthier way 
 of the Heart, when meerly to con- 
 trive its eafier paffage to fenfual En- 
 joyments, it only counterfeits fomc 
 agreeable a&ions to the higher Soul, 
 and pays its Vows, to thofe ignoble 
 ends, that it may have fome greater 
 advantages to Voluptuoufnefs, Riches, 
 or Honour } which is the groffeft kind 
 ofHypocrifie. 
 
 On the other fide there are many 
 Infeftations and troublefom Inrodes of 
 ftnfuality upon a man, that are truly 
 preponderated by the Diviner Princi- 
 ple, that yet do not debate him in ac- 
 count with God 5 fuch as the Apoftles 
 % Cor. 12. Thorn in the Flejh, as it is interpreted 
 7- by fome, and the Law of the Members 
 in conteji againji the Law of the Mind, 
 that yet doth not prevail into the 
 Chara&er of a Man, whofe Heart is 
 upright with God. 
 
 The keeping then of the Heart is of 
 greateft moment, and it muft be our 
 carfc, that the Treafure and Temper of 
 it be good 5 our obfervation muft be 
 ever awake upon all, that paffes out 
 of it, that we may take its true Cha- 
 racter : Our endeavour muft be ear- 
 fieft to reform all we find out of order, 
 
 to 
 
Wot ©?e$t ®oul of gtott* 233 
 
 to get it fwayed by Holinefs, to (top 
 the evil Motions of it, till we have 
 fo difcouraged them, as to alter the 
 very Temper of it 5 to incline it con- 
 tinually upon all holy and good Acti- 
 ons, till we have endeared them to 
 it 5 to take heed of all Proffers and 
 Propofes to it, that we may not differ 
 it to be tempted, to guard it, to offer 
 it to all holy and gracious Converfes, 
 to chaftife it continually in all it does 
 ill, to encourage it in all it does well 5 
 and that we may do all this, we muft 
 devocare mentem fupremam e C<bIo % 
 we muft bring that higheft Mind, en- 
 lightened by Grace, into the Govern- 
 ment and Command of it, and detru- 
 dere Corpus in imas Terras, we muft 
 thruft down Body, the love of which 
 (educes and corrupts the Heart, as low, 
 and as much into fubjeftion, as may be : 
 and above all, we muft commit it con- 
 tinually unto God 5 for the lafety,and 
 all the power of even this Supreme 
 Mind is the Free Vrincely Spirit tf/Pf.$i.i*; 
 God eftablifhing it, and always join- 
 ing it felf with it 5 as wickednefs is 
 kepta-foot, by being a&ed by the 
 Spirit of wickednefs. 
 
 This Heart now let us confider, It 
 
 is 
 
234 W* ®Wt ©oul of (§atn 
 
 is always a beating, thePulfes of it are 
 every minute and every where $ the 
 motion of it is vehement, as Fire 5 to 
 what a boundlefs meafure of fin and 
 iniquity will it rife, if fuffered ? But 
 to what vaft degrees of good might 
 it alfo rife, if its Motions were im- 
 proved to good ? And fo confequent- 
 ly, to what degrees of Happinefs or 
 Mifery may it rife or fall? 
 
 We muft ufe therefore all our care 
 to be always with it, that we may 
 guide its Motion 5 that in refpeft to 
 Evil we may reftrain and fupprefs its 
 Motion, as we do that of Fire 5 that 
 in relation to Good, we may promote 
 and advance it } that in regard of it 
 felf we may always provide it enough 
 of true good to feed upon, that it 
 may not inflame nor break it fel£ by 
 grinding it felf. 
 
 Yea we muft take care of the very 
 Reft of it, for even that is accounted 
 equal to A&ion. Reft in ^ny finful 
 Aftion, till we have removed from it 
 by Repentance, is a continuation of 
 that Aftion 3 even as Gpds Reft from 
 Creation, yet upholding and prefer- 
 ving all Things, is exprefled by Work: 
 ing , as our Saviour {peaks, My Fa- 
 ther 
 
€ \) z ®w t ®oul of ^am 235 
 
 *£er worktth hitherto , a«<3? / wor\. 
 So men uphold fin by their acquie- • 
 fcence in it without Repentance, 
 though they do not proceed to new 
 A£ts. 
 
 The nature of the Soul being now 
 thus far expreffed, It remains as the 
 top and fum of all, to (hew that it is 
 made with great and large Receipts 
 for Happinefs or Mifery ; Whether we 
 confider it immediately in the fubftan- 
 tial Nature, or whether we confider 
 it in the Faculties and Motions of 
 it. 
 
 1. In the immediate fubftantial Na- 
 ture of it, as hath been already made 
 plain} It is immortal, made to con- 
 tinue for ever. Whatever melts away 
 from its mifery, the mifery of that 
 is not confiderable. If a Prince would 
 put an Affaffinate to death with an 
 extreme, but leifurely torment, and 
 he dyes at the very firft approach of 
 it, he deceives his punifhment: So 
 that Happinefs is not defirable, that 
 fmothers the Being, that fhould en- 
 joy it by the greatnefs of it felf 5 but 
 the Soul made for For Ever, is great in 
 either of thefe, the Happinefs of it 
 infinitely defirable, the Mifery of it 
 
 moft 
 
3 3 6 tl&e C?ea t ©oul of $)atu 
 
 moft formidable, becaufe it can abide 
 and furvive in either. 
 
 2. It is Immaterial, and of fuch a 
 Finenefs and Purity of Subftance, that 
 it pierces far into all Reafons of Joy 
 or Trouble, and is penetrated by 
 them : The fympathies of it in Hap- 
 pinefs or Mifery are fiidden and uni- 
 verfal , as the Light fpreads it felf 
 through the Air in a moment, it re- 
 ceives in all parts the Light the Sun 
 gives, and inftantly $ thus the Soul, 
 the Favour or Indignation, the Smiles 
 or Frowns of God, when they indeed 
 break out upon it 5 it is moft fenfible, 
 prefently fenfible, all over and moft 
 intimately fenfible. 
 
 But of thefe things I have already 
 fpoken : Let us further confider the 
 Faculties themfelves, whereby it is 
 fully fitted to take in Happinefs or 
 Mifery, and to execute them in it felf. 
 The Faculties indeed compared with 
 Gods Favour or Difpleafure, are but 
 the Inftruments and Organs 5 God 
 gives the Breath and the Power, yet 
 they are fearfully and wonderfully 
 made by God to thefe great ends, both 
 in their Capacities and Aftivities. 
 
 I. The Underftanding is that great 
 
 Receipt 
 
CDe tfjeat ©oul of ®am 237 
 
 Receipt of all Principles of Light 
 and Truths, as may conduce either 
 way, and this is fuch a capacity, as 
 muft receive whatever God offers fo 
 plainly to it, as he will have it re- 
 ceived : Thus God raanifefted him- 
 felf in the Hearts of the Gentiles^ how- 
 ever prejudiced againft the Know- 
 ledge of the true God , they could 
 not refift it, but that they muft needs 
 be without Excufe : For that which 
 might be kpown of God was Jiill ma- 
 nifeft in them, for God hadjfjewed it 
 to them. So the work^ of the Law 
 was written in their Hearts^ and they 
 (hewed it by their thoughts accufing, 
 or excufing 5 and this they could not 
 help : A Table muft receive what is 
 written upon it 3 and in the accounts 
 of being Happy or Miferable upon 
 thefe Principles of Truth, through 
 the Apologies or Accufations of Con- 
 fidence, and the Motions of the Favour 
 or Difpleafure of God upon them, the 
 cafe is the very fame. 
 
 Now this Underftanding firft enter- 
 tains, and then lodges Truth} and 
 when that Truth is enlivened and 
 ftirred up, futable impreffions of Plea- 
 Cure or Grief are made, and from 
 
 thence 
 
238 tCfje ©jeat &oul of gtem 
 
 thence ftream down with all their 
 force into the Reft of the Soul 5 the 
 Underftanding being indeed fo much 
 the Soul, that all the rejoicings and 
 complaints of it are presently heard 
 and refented through the whole 3 and 
 the Soul fo much it felf under feveral 
 names, that what is in one Faculty of 
 it, is immediately in all, if the impref- 
 fion be indeed to the life 3 laving on- 
 ly that fince the degeneracy of Man- 
 kind there remains fas I have alrea- 
 dy Ihewn) a fingle Light in the higher 
 Underftanding, that may be refufed 
 in its di&ates by the reft of the 
 Soul. 
 
 Suppofethen the Underftanding be- 
 yond the poflibility of Refiftance,con- 
 vinced by fuch a manner of Demon- 
 ftration, that it cannot but receive of 
 thofe things that are the true and per- 
 fedt Reafons of Joy or Sorrow, and 
 in their perfeftion alfo, the Soul muft 
 needs be in the fame manner affe&ed 
 it is now, when we plainly and un- 
 deniably find our felves within the 
 embraces of any great good, or the 
 gripes of Evil 5 but with this diffe- 
 rence, that fo much as the perceptive- 
 nefs of the Underftanding furmounts 
 
 at 
 
tl&e ®?eat ©oul of £tem 239 
 
 at any time, or the Good and Evil 
 themfelves furpafi, fo much muft the 
 Joy or Grief furmount and furpafs 
 alfo. 
 
 Although therefore it be true, that 
 the multitude of Men and Women arc 
 but half perfwaded of thofe Things, 
 wherein Heaven & Hell confift, yet this 
 is only becaufc God is not yet pleafed 
 to excite the Underftanding after that 
 powerful manner of Conviftion he 
 can ufe 5 but ftill every man is at the 
 Mercy of Divine Power and Pleafure, 
 when he will do it : He may do it 
 now, but in Eternity he will do it, 
 and with fuch a clear reprefentation, 
 as rifes up into immediate Blifs or 
 Woe. 
 
 2. The next Faculty to be confi- 
 dered is the Great Will, that is the 
 Spring of all Affe&ions and their Mo- 
 tions : How endlefs are the Motions 
 of this Will? With what a great Co- 
 vetoufnefs doth it covet Good? and 
 how long ? What an immenfe averfa- 
 tion and abhorrence of Evil hath it ? 
 Let then this Will be denyed Good, 
 or preffed upon with Evil 3 or let it 
 be gratified with Good, and ftcured 
 from Evil 5 what either joy or pain 
 will follow? Yet 
 
240 tZTbe ®?eat Soul of ® art. 
 
 Yet further,Let us weigh the Aftive 
 part of both thefe Faculties, and 
 then the Enjoyment or Suffering will 
 rife much higher. 
 
 i .Firft then apprehend but Thought 
 mightily fet on work, which is the 
 Underftanding in its natural Motion ; 
 and if this be but earneftly moved* 
 though it be without tormenting mat- 
 ter, yet how painful is it ? When 
 there is not an Oyl, a pleafantnefs 
 and fweetnels dropping down upon 
 Thought, it is like ftretching the 
 Joints and Sinews of the Body by im- 
 moderate motion, which, if moderate, 
 would have been refrefhing 5 or like 
 a great blow that carries the whole 
 force along with it, and falls into the 
 Air only, upon which all the weight 
 of the Body is ready to follow, with 
 a violence moft ungrateful to Nature : 
 When a. man hath a multitude of 
 Thoughts, he had need have the com- 
 forts of God to delight his Soul : A 
 Man had need have good bounds for 
 his Thoughts, elfe he lofes himfelf in 
 the Wild of them} he had need of 
 good matter to feed them with, elfe 
 they inflame, like Millftones, feeding 
 on themfelves 5 make but this good, 
 
 a Mao 
 
C&e €>#at ®oul of £)am 241 
 
 a Man may think For Ever, and it 
 will cafily appear, he may be happy 
 or miferable For Ever. For let thefe 
 thoughts be fuch as intereft a Man in 
 the Reafons of Torment, Pain, and 
 Horrour, and how grievous may be 
 his ftate ? What experience may eve* 
 ry one have of the trouble and tur- 
 moil, of the anguifh of Thoughts? 
 a Man may lye eafier upon a Rack, 
 than upon fome difquieting vexatious 
 Thoughts. On the other fide, how 
 fweet and pleafant are Thoughts full 
 of the Ravifhment of Divine Confq- 
 lations ? How delightful is the enter- 
 tainment they give without tediouf- 
 nefs or fatiety ? 
 
 2. Imagination is fomething beyond 
 Thought 5 for Thought runs upon 
 things nearer to what they are in 
 themfelves , but Imagination makes 
 them fomething beyond them(elves, 
 or aggravates according to their true 
 circumftances, with greateft life. In- 
 deed Imagination cannot exceed in 
 Divine or Everlafting Things, yet it 
 is of ufe to bring in, and reprefent to, 
 and fill the Thoughts 5 it reflects 
 things with a multiplicity of Images, 
 like the Parelii of the Sun, and ftays 
 R thofe 
 
242 €&e ©?eat ©oul of $)atu 
 
 thofe Images with great Effeft 5 and 
 fo it is of great ufe in Comfort or 
 Difcomfort. 
 
 3. The Memory, which doth revive 
 and call things together, and prefent 
 thrm anew to the Thoughts and Ima- 
 ginations, fummoning and congrega* 
 ting, and ftaying Things their due 
 time for confkteration. This is a great 
 Inftrument too of Happinefi, or Mi- 
 fery : / will remember the Tears of the 
 Right Hand of the moji High, was the 
 Relief of, and Recovery of Davids 
 Mm. $. Spirit : Remembring my aj}li£lion and 
 19,20. nty mifery , the wormwood and the 
 Gall,my Soul hath themfiillin remem- 
 brance^ and is bowed in me. Remem- 
 bring this Vale of Tears, exalts the 
 lightfome ftate of the Holy Hill of 
 God, and Remembring the Good things 
 of this Life an inflammation of mifery. 
 4. The Confcience is a high and 
 moft curious Engine, fitted by God to 
 thefe ends. What 'joy like the Testi- 
 mony of Confcience, good and ferene? 
 The very office of which is to applaud 
 the Soul, and give it greateft Joy in 
 its acceptance with God, and like- 
 nefs to him 5 and on the other fide, to 
 hiake acclamations to the Juftice of 
 
 God, 
 
tEfee ©jeat Soul of $)am 243 
 
 God, and condemn the guilty and im- 
 pure Soul, within it felf, to its greateft 
 horrour and amazement. 
 
 Come we now to the A&ive part 
 of the Will, that is, the Affe&ions, 
 which are but the Will boiling up with 
 great love to its Happinefs, or abhor- 
 rence of its Mifery 5 and according as 
 the Affeftions are ftirred with defire 
 of Good and flight from Evil, fo are 
 they either unexpreffibly gratified in 
 an union with that Good , and the 
 utmoft diftance of the Evil, or en- 
 raged with the defpair of the Good, 
 that is at an infinite remove from its 
 enjoyment, and deteftation of the 
 Evil fo abhorred, yet prefling and 
 forcing on it felf to be endured, 
 from which different Motion of the 
 Affe&ions fpring plainly and fenfibly 
 thofe different conditions of Happi- 
 nefs or Mifery. 
 
 Laftly, When the tlnderftanding 
 hath been both the Theatre and Spe- 
 ctator of all thefe Motions, it comes 
 to examine over again, whether there 
 be caufe for them 3 and when upon 
 ftri&eft enquiry it finds, the caufe 
 deferves the whole that hath pafled; 
 and being by the Divine Power held 
 R 2 clofe 
 
244 tctie ®# at ©oul of $)atn 
 
 clofe to this Obfervation, it then pa£ 
 fts it felf into that grand Adfc of the 
 Soul, we call Judgment $ upon which 
 all the powers of the Soul either ever- 
 laft'mgly triumph, and fhout in lpud 
 praifes to infinite Mercy 5 or the Veins 
 of Confidence open and bleed afrefh, 
 and as by a moft undoubted authori- 
 ty, the Fleart renews and continues its 
 everlafting Plaints. 
 
 The fundamental capacities of the 
 Soul for Happinefs and Mifery being 
 now fettled, I come now to difcourie 
 the correfpondent fundamental ac- 
 counts of that Happinefs or Mifery, as 
 they are united with the Soul, and its 
 aquations of it (elf: And thefe firft 
 in relation to its eternal condition. 
 
 1. The firft and moft eflential ac- 
 count of Happinefs is the Favour of 
 God in Chrift 3 his Frown, Wrath,and 
 Rebukes are the moft fundamental 
 reafon of Mifery : His Favour and re- 
 conciled Face on one fide, his Wrath 
 for fin on the other. We are notable 
 yet to underftand the abfolute depen- 
 dence of the Soul hereupon, becaufe 
 the prefent courle of Providence al- 
 lows men in their feeming fubfiften- 
 cies upon the Comfort they receive 
 
 from 
 
tttje ®wt Soul of ®am 245 
 
 from the Creatures of this Worlds 
 God himfelf in the mean time retiring 
 from their Obfervation : But this is 
 certain, the fmiles of God unexpref- 
 fibly enliven, encourage, and bear up 
 the Soul 5 his Rebukes daunt, dejefr, 
 and amaze it. However thefe are now 
 for the moft part clofely conveyed un- 
 der the appearances of the Creatures, 
 for us or againft us, yet God is in- 
 deed under them 5 but it is much more 
 plain and manifeft in the more imme- 
 diate angry or gracious touches of 
 God upon the Confcience, and will 
 be far more evident in the ftate of the 
 World to come 5 His loving hjnd~ 
 vefs is better than life 5 and when he 
 with rebukes corrects Man for iniqui- 
 ty^ he tnaketh his beauty to confume 
 away like a moth 5 whatfoever feems 
 moft flourifhing, being fo blafted, wi- 
 thers immediately : All the horrours 
 we have heard, or read of, have re- 
 ceived their fting from this Wrath, 
 and all Confolations from his Favour 5 
 for in his Favour is life') the Eyes of 
 all Creatures are upon God : Every 
 created Thing in its proper way turns 
 its Eye upon the Creator, much more 
 the Soul, the Spirit immortal, turns 
 R 3 upon 
 
24<s <EI)e ©*eat ©oul of 3©am 
 
 upon God, f£e Father of Spirit /,* hat 
 it may live. It is not confident with 
 * the Glory of God, that he (hould al- 
 low any Thing to be Happineft, but 
 Himfelf and his Favour : Even all the 
 inward Re&itude of Mind cannot be 
 this Happinefs immediately } For as if 
 there were a Goodneft, of which Gods 
 Nature were not the Rule and Mea- 
 fure, and that Will, which always 
 (lands juft with that Nature, that 
 would be above God } and (b God 
 would not be the Supreme Righte- 
 oufnefs, that is, Not God : So if there 
 were any implanted Happinefs in any 
 Creature, and that it needed notGod, 
 as to theEflence of its Happinefs, God 
 would not be God to it , orifitshap- 
 pinefs were in any Thing out of it (elf, 
 and not in God, that would be a 
 God to it. 
 
 This Consideration prefles to this, 
 That Happinefs is in the Light pfGods 
 Countenance^ Alining out upon the 
 Rational Soul : There is nothing ne- 
 cefiary, as the Fountain of Happinefs, 
 but God$ nothing can fupply his 
 place , In thy prefence is fulnefs of 
 Joy, at thy right hand are pleafures 
 for evermore 5 with thee is the Foun- 
 tain 
 
tE&e ©#at Soul of 38an; 2 47 
 
 /4/« of Life 5 In thy Light fo all we fee 
 Light \ but if thou hidefi thy Face ne 
 are troubled^ if baniQied and driven 
 from thy everUfting pre fence, we are 
 for ever miferable, for whom can we 
 have in Heaven but thee ? and there 
 is none upon Earth befides thee. 
 
 2. Subordinately to this, there caa 
 be no peace, but in the Heart made 
 truly and inwardly Good 5 befides all 
 ftorms from without, there is an eftu- 
 ation, a tide from corruption within, 
 full of trouble and vexation: Every 1 
 fin loved and delighted in, is a fecret 
 hollow where an Earthquake is bred $ 
 it is a wound that fecretly d (quiets 
 it. All impure Affe&ions, Pajjions of 
 Dijhonour in the Soul, make it like the 
 troubled Sea, that cannot reft $ Peace 
 and Joy in the Holy Qhoft make their 
 repofe in Right eoufnefs : The ejfeff of 
 Right eoufnefs, is quietnefs and ajju- ifa.32.17, 
 ranee for Ever. 
 
 Even as the Favour of God never 
 embraces any , but a holy Soul --, fo 
 hath he ordained, that the Evil and 
 corrupt Heart (hould be in it felf un- 
 peaceful, and full of turmoil within, 
 both in regard of the foulnefs and de- 
 formity, very horrible to the Thoughts, 
 R. 4 when- 
 
H& <&t>e ®?eat Soul of $)an< 
 
 whenever underftood 5 as alfo in re- 
 gard of the great diftra&ion, and hor- 
 rible convulfion the mind is forced in- 
 to, when it comes to any thing of 
 true Senfe. 
 
 3. The a&uation or gracious mo- 
 tion of the Favour of God towards 
 the Soul, and the aftuation of his Ho- 
 ly Spirit upon the Soul, made inward- 
 ly Holy and Good, are highly necet 
 (ary for the making the Spirit of a 
 Man truly found and vigorous in en- 
 countring Evil, happy and comforta- 
 ble in it felf 5 for elft the Soul may be 
 becalmed (ifthefe Motions of Grace 
 from God lye ftillj and not able to 
 bear up it felf: And therefore Men 
 fincerely good are often in great dif- 
 compofures, when God withdraws 
 himfelf from them 5 In the cloudings 
 of his Face they are troubled, in re- 
 treats of his Grace not exciting 
 them, they languifh> and cannot fiir 
 up. themselves to take hold of him 5 
 and then their finful Calm ends in 
 trouble. 
 
 On the other fide the realbns of 
 horrour and amazement are riot feen 
 by fenfelefs and fecure Men, till Con- 
 (cience enlightened difcovers them, 
 
 and 
 
Hi)* ©jeat ©oul of ®an> 249 
 
 and the flamings of Divine Difplea- 
 fure make them boil up. 
 
 Thefe then are the true, fubftantial, 
 folid, and natural Reafbns of Happi- 
 nefs or Mifery, rejoycing or tribula- 
 tion to the Soul, and the Soul is plain- 
 ly the Senfe of them : And as for the 
 lefler and fmaller intereftsof this pre- 
 fent World, and the life of -t, 'he 
 obfervation of thefe two following 
 Principles will determine, and ftate 
 the cafe of the Soul in relation to them, 
 and fb, that it will further appear, that 
 all the touches of Good and Evil up- 
 on Man, are originally and principally 
 in his Soul, 
 
 1. The firft is, That if God is plea- 
 fed to let out his Favour in any of 
 thefe outward Things, and to mode- 
 rate the defires and motions of the 
 Soul, fo that there is a proportion 
 between thofe motions and defires, 
 and the condition in which a Man is, 
 there is nothing further of neceffity 
 to him, he is well enough. But 
 whenever the defires run out, beyond 
 the meafures and proportions of his 
 Condition, it is with great difquiet 
 and incredible reftlefnefi of MincJ, 
 though the thing, beyond what he has, 
 
 be 
 
a5o C&e ©jeat ©oul of item 
 
 be but fmall in it felf, and nothing 
 compared with what is enjoyed: 
 Efth.$.ig. When Haman had that abundance of 
 Glory, yet his defires running out to 
 a very little thing, beyond what he 
 had, a very nothing to it, the obei- 
 fance of poor Mordecai^ yet it made 
 a nothing of all he had, for it all avail- 
 ed him nothing. 
 
 2. When the goodnefs of God is 
 pleafed to reftrain outward Evils in 
 fit degrees, and to preferve the mind 
 from ingaging it felf by too clofe re- 
 flexions upon any difad vantage 5 or 
 to bend it fo clofe, upon better con- 
 fiderations to leffen and make tole- 
 rable that difadvantage, the Spirit of 
 a Man thus guarded will bear any in- 
 firmity but when the Spirit is let 
 out to a continual pondering, and 
 aggravating to it felf a very finall 
 Counter-accident, and the Reafbns 
 that fhould abate it, are hidden, and 
 carryed off from it, a very little thing 
 becomes unappealably vexatious 5 and 
 the Spirit fo wounded is it felf its own 
 infupportable burden. Who can, 
 when God gives a fling to fuch a 
 Crofs, bear it > And when the Spirit 
 of a Man runs forcibly upon it, that 
 
 Man 
 
€De <£?eat Soul of $)aiu 2 5 1 
 
 Man may turn back, and recoil with 
 higheft Rage and Cruelty upon him- 
 felt: As we (ee Ahitophel, though but 2 Sam. 17. 
 an ordinary thing befell him, yet his 23 ' 
 Spirit being wounded with it, he went, 
 and hanged himfelfr whereas David * 5am. 30. 
 befieged with outward Diftrefs on 
 every hand, and finding the furges of 
 Grief within, yet was upheld by Di- 
 vine Reafons: He at the fame time 
 both diverted his own Spirit from the 
 Evil, qualified the Evil it felf, and for- 
 tified his mind, encouraging himfelf in 
 the Lord his God. 
 
 Thus all Contentation and Pleafure, 
 Enjoyment and Happinefs , and the 
 contrary Difcontent, Vexation, Suf- 
 fering, and Mifery, both here and in 
 Eternity, are laid in the difpofes of 
 God upon the Spirits of Men, filling 
 thofe capacities he hath therein con- 
 trived with fuch infufions of his Fa- 
 vour or Difpleafure, as in Wifdom, 
 Righteoufnefs, and Goodnefs, he hath 
 and fhall determine to them } and al- 
 io putting themfelves upon fuch Exer- 
 cife and Motion, and that upon fuch 
 principles within themfelves, as mud: 
 perfectly own, acknowledge, and 
 agree with thofe his Divine Attri- 
 butes, 
 
252 C&e Cjeat ©oul of $Jatn 
 
 butes, and the determinations he 
 makes upon the Souls of men accord- 
 ing to them. 
 
 Yet there is always this difference 
 between this prefent ftate, and the 
 things pertaining properly to it 5 and 
 that of Eternity, and the things pro- 
 per to that 5 that the former are alto- 
 gether indifferent, and nothing more 
 needs,but that the Mind be in an equal 
 pofture towards them : But the things 
 of an eternal confederation are of a 
 perfeft neceffity, fothatHappinefsand 
 Mifery will be forever in aft according 
 to them. 
 
 Upon thefe Grounds thus laid, we 
 may judge of many cafes of ordinary 
 and evident experience, that concern 
 both Natural and Religious Affairs. 
 
 1. We fee fome Men in a low and 
 mean condition, with a little of the 
 World, much more contented than 
 thofe in a higher , the defires of the 
 one being no larger than their Condi- 
 tion, but the minds of the other run- 
 ning out beyond their greater Eftate 5 
 from whence it is evident, that man 
 liveth not by bread alone^ but by eve- 
 ry word that proceedeth out of the 
 month of God^ nor by the abundance 
 
Hfoe #*eat ®oul of ® an* 255 
 
 of any thing they have y but by God 
 giving a fuitableneft between the De- 
 fire and the Enjoyment 5 when God lets 
 out the defire beyond that, all elfe is 
 as nothing at all. 
 
 2. Again, Some men bear far grea- 
 ter CrofTes with much more ea(e, than 
 others do farlefler} the Spirit of one 
 man centring upon the grief and in- 
 convenience , and the other gliding 
 off from it. 
 
 3. The generality of men having 
 their minds level, and but equal at 
 beft with their Bodies, are very fenfi- 
 bleof all thedifedvantages and incon- 
 veniences of Body. 
 
 Some more heroick and fingular 
 perfons are far above them, and little 
 concerned in them 5 and fome ftrange- 
 ly infenfible and unadive in their Souls, 
 bear them without any more than the 
 juft preflure upon the Body requires } 
 lumps of Clay, their Souls are fo 
 fheathed in their Bodies, that they 
 difcover no Soul, give no fign of a 
 Spirit 5 they live and dye like Beads ; 
 they bear all with the ftrength of (en- 
 fitive Nature, they (hew no Spirit at 
 all, till at laftthey fplit into innume- 
 rable and endlefs Complaints and 
 
 Crys 5 
 
254 €&e ©?eat ©oul of $>am 
 
 Crys 3 except we fuppofe a loathfom 
 ftupidity, and fearful darknefs of ut- 
 ter want of Confolation and Enjoy- 
 
 j ment to be the fecond death of fuch 
 
 perfons. 
 
 On the other fide, Some that have 
 great force of Mind, and yet are deep- 
 ly affefted to Body, exafperate and 
 inflame any bodily Diftemper, and 
 aggravate it by their terrible impati- 
 ences 5 and the fame thing falls out to 
 them in Infamy, Difgrace, Lois, or 
 great Difappointment} according to 
 the meafure, bufinefs, and a&ivity of 
 the Spirit about them , Co is the thing 
 great or fmall in mens own account 
 and refentment. 
 
 4. From an Over-Ballance of Mind 
 it comes to pafi, that upon feveral ac- 
 counts Men become wholly inatten- 
 dant to their Bodies. 
 
 Prov.18.1. Somefeparating themselves, with de- 
 jire to intermeddle with all Know- 
 ledge, have been wholly carelefs of 
 all things elfe : Others ingaged in mo- 
 tions of great Valour and Enterprife, 
 have fo little valued the Fate of a pre- 
 fent life, that in the heat of Valour . 
 and Fight, they have not fo much as 
 felt the wounds they have received, 
 
 their 
 
C&e fi5?eat ©oul of gtatu 255 
 
 their Minds being as it were feparated 
 from their Bodies. 
 
 Some plunged in deep forrow and 
 trouble, have without the leaft relent- 
 ing and compaffion done the greateft 
 cruelty upon themfelves. 
 
 Some under great dilappointment 
 of their Defigns have revenged it with 
 greateft rigour and refolution upon 
 their own Flefh, as Sctvola with an 
 undaunted conftancy burnt the hand 
 that miffed in killing Torfenna, and (b 
 deprived him of the Glory, he foear- 
 neftly defigned himfelf in that A&ion. 
 
 Others touched with the Confci- 
 ence of a great Offence, through the 
 vehemency of that, have thought all 
 other pains of Nature worthy only 
 of negled, as Cranmer held that hand 
 in the Flame, that had Ggned his Re- 
 cantation. 
 
 Yea very Debauchees, intheRjfque 
 of their Vices, though their name, 
 even their FUJI) and their Body have 
 been con fumed, mourn not, whilje they 
 are in their Carrier, but at lafi, they 
 are (b reftlefs and importunate in 
 wickednefs, plotting and performing 
 it , doing it with both hands, that 
 they have no leifure to think of any 
 
 thing 
 
256 <I&e6?eat©oulof$gtett. 
 
 thing elfe, and are afraid indeed to 
 offer any fuch leifure to themfelves, 
 and to avoid it are always driving on 
 
 Eccl.8.12. in wickednefi } they prolong their days 
 in, and, as it (eerns, by it, thus far, 
 that their earneftaeis bears them up* 
 fo that they do not fall into reflexi- 
 ons upon the fad end of it} their 
 Spirits are carried fo whole and toger 
 ther to it, that they have no inter- 
 ruption. And if their purfuit becrof- 
 fed, and vexed with hindrances, and 
 contrariety of accidents* it becomes 
 very outragious, and is a continual 
 
 2 Sam. 1$. fi c k ne fs • for fo it is faid, Amnon was 
 ftck^ for his Sifter Thamar. 
 
 All thefe, and multitudes of the 
 like, are plain Inftances of the Mind 
 governing our Contentment, or Dis- 
 content, in thefe Affairs } and how- 
 ever it inflave it felf, as it feems, to the 
 Body, and its fatisfa&ions, yet ftill it 
 is indeed the Vigour, Force, and migh- 
 ty aftion of this Mind, that is ever 
 fuperiour, when it doth moft de- 
 bate it felf 5 and it is not the Body of 
 FleQi, but it felf in that Body, or that 
 Flefh, (or as the Apoftle calls it, a 
 FleJJjly Mind) that thus defigns and 
 afts, with a high hand, for its own 
 
 fatisfaftion: 
 
 2. 
 
<£&e 8?eat Soul of ®atn * 5 7 
 
 fitisfa&ions : And if it be thus in 
 things wherein it feems to be flelhly, 
 how much more in thofe things 
 wherein Body hath no Feeling, no 
 Intereft ? 
 
 From thele Grounds we may alio 
 difcern the feveral ftates of Men in 
 Religion. 
 
 1. The great InfenfibleneG of it in 
 the minds of moft men, makes them 
 without any defire or motion after it, 
 they fee no beauty in it, why they Jhould 
 itejire it. K 
 
 2. Hereupon alfo, though Men 
 have the greateft reafon of trouble in 
 relation to their ftate towards God, 
 yet having no refle&ions, they are 
 wholly untroubled, even thofe, who, 
 if Religion be true, have no ground of 
 peace, but the greateft of horrour 
 and amazement. 
 
 This is indeed from a Patience of 
 God to the world, and a Judgment 
 alfo upon it : for fo far as it would lead i 
 only to theTerroursofDefpair, (bit 
 is a long-fuffering 5 but as InfenGble- 
 nefs configns men over to Irreligion, 
 and the confequent Damnation, fo it 
 is an exceeding great Judgment. 
 
 And yet it is an Indulgence too of 
 S common 
 
2 5 8 Ctje ©seat ©oul of q&m. 
 
 common Providence, that Mankind 
 enjoys a general peace, and quiet of 
 condition, and are not in immediate 
 hellifh defpairs. 
 
 3. Hence formality in Religion 
 gives many men fatisfa&ion: they 
 cannot be (atisfied without it, their 
 Mind being (b far awakened concern- 
 ing it 5 and yet there being fome part 
 dark.-* they take up with a Shadow 
 in the place of true fubftantial Good- 
 nefs. 
 
 4. Hence a juft and fober demea- 
 nour in the World hath that ftrength 
 to compofe the Mind, we may ordi- 
 narily obftrve. For all degrees ofln- 
 nocency and Integrity, all Freedoms 
 from Guilt, and not being privy to 
 things unworthy our (elves , are a 
 great defence to the Thoughts 5 arid 
 thefe things are fo efpoufed to Chri- 
 ftianity, that where they are found 
 indeed, and in the due Heights, they 
 are never found divided the onefrom 
 the otherrbut there may be ferablances 
 or fome degrees of thefe^as is very plain 
 in the Inftance of the Young Man in 
 the Gofpel 5 he had a truly ingenuous 
 fenfe of Things, and Co well natured, 
 that when Chrift propofcd to him a 
 
 Precept 
 
tttje ©?eat ©out q( S^am 05 9 
 
 Precept above his Orb, he did not 
 (burly rejeft it, but was forrorpfnl, Mark.io. 
 he could not rife to it, yet ftill he was "• 
 at a diftance from true Chriftianity. 
 
 But fo far as a man attains in the 
 femblances, and degrees of theft, he 
 hath alfo anfwerable femblances and 
 degrees of tranquillity of Mind, of 
 lovelinefi and worth} our Saviour 
 loved the Toung Man, for fo much as *•*«• 
 he had. This made thofe great Spirits 
 among the Heathen, whofe generous 
 Aftionsweread of. 
 
 To this Head may be referred all 
 high and notable Aftions and Under- 
 takings, all worthy Studies and Em- 
 ployments > which derive a virtue 
 from that intrinGck value of Good- 
 aefs, and participations of the Favour 
 and approbation of God, that is upon 
 them, and uphold the Mind, and fur* 
 ther fo entertain and employ it, that 
 it doth not fall into difturbances. 
 
 Yet fo far as theft things however 
 excellent, are not univerfal and uni- 
 form in all things, or not indued and 
 ennobled with true Piety, Love of 
 God, adherence to him in the Media- 
 tor, fo far they come fhort of the fin- 
 cere and perfeft fatisfa&ion of the 
 Mind. S 2 Hence 
 
2&o Cty ®?eat Soul of $M 
 
 Hence moft men are but in an equal 
 poize between the Gomforts and Fears, 
 that arife from a true fenfe of Religi- 
 on, between the Heroick temper of 
 Chriftianity , and the danger of an 
 unconverted Eftate 5 God not feeing 
 good to give fo high a fenfe of the 
 Danger, nor fo triumphant a fenfe of 
 the Happinefs, as that the one Ihould 
 in regard of trouble of Mind, the 
 other in regard of (urpaffing joy make, 
 all Things iq the World, nothing, as 
 either would do. 
 
 Yet notwithftanding from the high 
 fenfe of Religion, there hath been at 
 (brae times fo high an aftion, and fo 
 triumphing a Comfort, that as the 
 Martyr (aid, A Bed of Flames was no 
 other than a Bed of Rofes, many 
 have offered themfelves to death, not 
 accepting Deliverance, they have al- 
 together abandoned all the Pleafures, 
 Profits, and Advantages of Bodily 
 Senfe and worldly State, that they 
 might obtain a better Refarre&ion 5 
 and on the other fide, fome under the 
 horrours of Defpair, have as much 
 caft away from them, all the comforts 
 and enjoyments of the prefent life, 
 and have feized upon Hell, as it were 
 
 before 
 
VQe ®?tat Soul of SBam ?6t 
 
 before they went out of the World, or 
 haftened to it as Judas. Again, fome 
 good men not having the communi- 
 cations of the Favour of God, have 
 fallen into horrid Agonies of Mind, 
 and have been reftored anew to Com- 
 forts, according as God hath (hone 
 out, or withdrawn himfelf. 
 
 And through the non-aftuation of 
 Grace into their Hearts have fallen 
 into fome great fins, and under (piri- 
 tual defertions, abating from the ex- 
 cellency of a Holy Life, and confe- 
 quently into difcomforts, or want of 
 (piritual Confolation. 
 
 And contrariwife, Men not (bund 
 in Chriftian Obedience bear up be- 
 twixt fome conformities to religious 
 Aftion, and the hopes they derive 
 from thence, without finking down 
 into great defpondencies. All which 
 cafes plainly and (enfibly may be re- 
 folved into the former Grounds and 
 Principles laid concerning the Govern- 
 ment of God, ordering and dilpofing 
 the ftate of Mens Souls here in the 
 World. 
 
 If againft all this it fliould be (aid, ObjOL 
 It is the Body,and the various changes 
 upon that,that give thefe various Tem- 
 pers to the Mind, S 3 It 
 
2 6a H|je <S?eat ©oul of 3©am 
 
 *•>/». ^ It muft be in the firfl: place allowed, 
 .that the Mind fees much by the Body, 
 -Aodthings are accordingly prefented,as 
 ; the Body isprepared, juftas the Eye 
 fees imperfe&Iy through a dim Glaft, 
 and things appear double in a cracked 
 .one 5 yet this only fignifies, that the 
 Aftions of the Mind, fo far as they de- 
 pend upon the Body, are either di- 
 .fturbed or aflifted, by the fitnefs or 
 unfitnefs of the Inftrument. The 
 Heats of a Fever, by the excefs of (pi- 
 rits flying up, difturb the brain, and 
 over-aft it. Now the Soul a&ing in, 
 and by thefe Spirits, and in, and by 
 this their exceffive Motion, (allies out 
 into a multitude of Thoughts $ which 
 are indeed roaving and diforderly, as 
 is the Motion of the Spirits, which 
 are its Inftrument , thus theSunfeems 
 inhafte, and in a hurry, uneven, and 
 transported, appearing through rolling 
 Clouds, and flying Vapours. 
 
 Again, Sometimes the Spirits are 
 aiery and foaring, even into Rapture, 
 ,and then the Soul difports it felf among 
 them, in that we call Wit, and high- 
 ly exalted Phancj^. as the Sun reflefts 
 : Beams inta.-that beautifu) variety, 
 /i^lant mU ? Colours in 
 
 the 
 
tt&e ©?eat Soul of ®am *6$ 
 
 the Rainbow, when it finds a Clowd 
 prepared. 
 
 In thefe cafes the Motion is greater , 
 than agrees with the order of the Soul 
 in the Body, and fo it is violent, and 
 fbmetimes furious, yet (till it argues 
 the greatnefs of the Soul, and its acti- 
 vity, (hewing it felf to the utraoft ad- 
 vantages it receives from the Bodies 
 Motion, whether it be orderly or dis- 
 orderly, wherein the a&ivity is the 
 Souls, and the difbrder chargeable up- 
 on the Body only} the Soul, even as 
 the Sun, is always the fame in it felf. 
 
 But befides all this, It is mod evi- 
 dent, that the Mind hath confidera- 
 tions of Peace and Dilquiet, fome in 
 which the Body is not concerned at 
 all, further than the Mind concerns it } 
 and fome that firft come into the 
 Mind, by reprcfentation from with- 
 out, yet having made no dint at all 
 upon the Body, are confidered and 
 judged of firft by the Mind, and (b 
 by degrees affe& the Body, accord- 
 ing to the apprehenfions the Mind en- 
 tertains of them, either with vigour, 
 or languifhment 5 yea there have been 
 Examples, wherein the Soul being it 
 felf furprifcd, with excefc of Joy or 
 S 4 Sorrow, 
 
.•$4 <&$* <%at Soul of g)am 
 
 Sprrow, hath in a moment furprifed 
 the whole Animal Power alfo, and 
 extinguiftied that Life* and how of- 
 ten the Soul gives a Conftitution to 
 the Body, we know not 5 but this is 
 certain, however the cafe be other- 
 wife, The Comfort or Difcomfort of 
 a Man is feated in hisSoul,and whence- 
 |bever the Caufes of them arife, or 
 through whatsoever Conduits they 
 pafs, they pleafe or affiift according 
 to the fettled Judgment the Mind 
 makes of them. 
 
 But for the further clearing and 
 confirming thefe things, let us make 
 this account of them. 
 
 1. From the Nature of Mans Soul, 
 it is certainly to be concluded, The 
 Soul is the Man, which way foever 
 the Soul goes, that way certainly the 
 Man gpes $ and when the Soql is in 
 a high concern any way, it values the 
 Body no more, than the Body does a 
 Garment : For though it is true in the 
 generality of men , and in general 
 Cafes, the Soul doth willingly fubor- 
 dinate it (elf to the Body, or rather 
 it fclf to it felf, as in the Body, and 
 fnakes the fcrvice, the fafety, thp 
 pleafure of it felf in the Body, to be 
 
Htje ©?eat Soul of ® an* *6$ 
 
 its whole pleafure, fafety, and fetis- 
 fa&ion* yet there are particular per- 
 (bns by whom, particular cafes in 
 which, the Body is flighted , as of 
 finalleft confideration. We fee good 
 men ufe the fervice of it in Study and 
 Contemplation to fuch a height, that 
 it is macerated, weakened, difcou- 
 raged, and (peedily worn out 5 they 
 fubdue it by daily mortification, they , cor. i 
 offer it up in Martyrdom, deliver and *?• 
 refign it to the Flames, (ubmit it to 
 the Torturer. Bad Men enflave it to 
 vicious affe&ions, lavifli it out upon 
 their Lufts} and in their Rage fome- 
 times deftroy it by violence upon 
 tbemfelves. 
 
 From all which it is plain, how 
 much the Body is at the fervice of the 
 Soul, when the Soul is excited to the 
 exercife of its own power. 
 
 2. The great Myftery of the Soul 
 is, That whereas in its own Nature it 
 is thus great and commanding , was 
 made in the Image and Similitude of 
 God^ hath a refemblance of his Liber- 
 ty and even of his infinite Motion, in 
 the difplays of Underftanding, Will, 
 and Affe&ions} yet notwithftanding 
 it may be as it were filenced and num- 
 bered, 
 
266 VQe ©?eat Soul of ®am 
 
 bered, and the Motion of it (b fiip- 
 preffed, that it feems to have nothing 
 Co confiderable, as fuch a Being im- 
 ports : In this ftate it is like a ftrong 
 Man ajleep, but that will awake 5 it 
 Jleeps its fleep now, but when God a- 
 wakensit, it flakes its felf, and throws 
 off all its Manacles, or like a firong 
 man that Jhouts by reafon of Wine y 
 then its ftrength and vigour appears. 
 It lyes fti.ll, as Samfon, when his T+ocks 
 mere cut off, it re-enforces it felf here- 
 after, as Sam fen, when his Lockj were 
 grown again*) like Water running 
 fofrly, and in a very weak, and in- 
 difcernible Current , afterwards like 
 an Inundation of Water $ like a Spark 
 under Afhes, but afterwards like the 
 whole Element of Fire, in fierceft mo- 
 tion 5 fo that there is no judgment to 
 be madeof its influences into the Com- 
 fort or Difcomfort of a Man, when 
 it is in its duller and more ftupified 
 condition, but in its higheft Flights 
 now, and in itsEverlaftingState. 
 
 3. God hath the great power of 
 moving the Soul, he that formed the 
 Spirit of a Man within him, he that 
 made it what it is, that gave it his 
 own likeneft, he will (hew when he 
 
 pleafes, 
 
tSTbe ©?eat Soul of 09am a 67 
 
 pleafes that he made it fuch as it is in- 
 deed} anditmuft needs be plainly in 
 his power to do it , who is the Su- 
 preme and All-working Spirit $ (o 
 that all the ftate and condition of it 
 from the firft moments of its B£ing, 
 throughout Eternal Ages, is a Go- 
 vernment and Ordination of God up- 
 on it : Nothing then is to be conclu- 
 ded, but by and upon his declarati- 
 ons of himfelf, and of the manner of 
 his Government he hath prefcribed to 
 himfelf 5 which is in part made known 
 to us in the Nature, Frame, and Con- 
 di tution of the Soul it felf, and the 
 daily Experiments of it, but moftefpe- 
 cially in his Word } which defcribes 
 both the deplumed and low eftate of 
 Souls, and the certain exaltation, the 
 lifting them up whether to Salvation 
 or Deftru&ion. 
 
 4. The things the force and ftrength 
 of the Soul move upon, as defcriptive 
 and conftitutive of its own ftate and 
 condition, give temper to its Satisfa- 
 ctions and Difquiets. When it moves 
 upon fuch things, as have truly the 
 Springs of Joy and Comfort in them, 
 as its own, it hath an exceeding Joy, 
 that carries it above all things. Again, 
 
 when 
 
%6B tKfce fiSjeat ©ou! of SSatu 
 
 when it moves upon thofe things, that 
 have indeed the reafons of Sorrow 
 and Affii&ion, and that it muft ac- 
 knowledge it hath an unhappy Right 
 to * there is an excefs of Sorrpw and 
 Vexation. If there are but apprehen- 
 ded reafons of either, or lower de- 
 grees of them aggravated by that ap- 
 prehenfion, the force of the Soul may 
 yet make them great, till it be unde- 
 ceived $ for when there is nothing 
 worthy either way to work upon, yet 
 its very deceived and deluded Ima- 
 gination are in the room of a great 
 Objeft to it, and either very pleafing 3 
 or affli&ive. Thus it is till Reality 
 takes place of Appearance ^ and Eter- 
 nity finds (b much employment for all 
 the Powers, upon things fo grand, 
 that they have nothing of leilure, ei- 
 ther for Appearances, or leffer Things, 
 or to (pend their ftrcngth in vain. 
 
 Thus far I have argued the Motions 
 of the Soul unto Happinefs or Mifery, 
 immediately from the Nature of the 
 Soulitfelf} in the next place, let the 
 account of thefe things be drawn from 
 the Ordination and Government of 
 God in relation to himfelf, and the 
 eternal condition of the Soul. 
 
 i. Iter* 
 
Cfte 0;eat ®oul of ®an* 269 
 
 f . There is an Abfolute Will, and 
 Determination of God, that it fhall 
 appear, that Himfelf and Holinefc, and 
 the enjoyment of Himfelf for ever, are 
 the true Happinefi of the Soul, and 
 the only Happinefs of it $ on the o- 
 ther fide, That Sin, his Wrath, and 
 Disfavour are the greateft Evils -> as 
 God fays, / will famifi all the Gods 
 of the Earth, (b he will all that the 
 Earth calls Good , befides himfelf, 
 which is a worfhipping of the Crea- 
 ture, befides, or in preference to, the 
 Creator, bleffed For Ever : ElfeMcn, 
 who are in Covenant with teeming 
 Goods, and in Union with them, 
 would think themfelves well enough 
 without God, and without any enjoy- 
 ment of him 3 God therefore hath ap- 
 pointed a time, wherein all the Idols 
 of the World (hall be fmitten, as Da- 
 gon before theAr^ and all little Evils, 
 that are fo reputed here, (hall (brink 
 into none, compared with his Wrath 
 and Difpleafiire. Then (hall Men re- 
 fleft upon all the Fatigues they have 
 undergone for worldly Pleafure, Pro- 
 fit, and Honour, as (o much loft and 
 mifplaced labour 3 and their (b earned 
 recoil from prefent Evils, though with 
 
 their 
 
270 Ctje @?eat © oal of ® am 
 
 their eternal hazard, (hall be reputed 
 as bafeft Cowardife^ then Religion 
 and Holy Walking, which llad fo 
 mean an allowance of Deference from 
 them, (hall be efteemed of gteateft 
 worth and value. 
 
 2. God hath determined to draw 
 out Souls to their own Greatnefs and 
 Extent, that his Workmanfliip in 
 them may not be always hid and con- 
 cealed. The (imilitude with himfelf 
 he at firft enftamped them with, (hall 
 be plainly difcovered. It (hall then 
 befeen, what Underftandings, Wills, 
 Affe&ions, Conferences he hath given 
 them 3 and that a Soul is not fo fmall 
 a Thing, as it feems to be in the Worlds 
 Hiftory of Beings. 
 
 And thefe two things are very fub- 
 fervient to the difcovery of one ano- 
 ther, the Excellency of God, and the 
 Valuablenefs of the Soul 5 for God 
 reyealing himfelf, and his own Holi- 
 nefs and Happinefs, in their full Beau- 
 ty and Greatnefs, the Soul that was 
 (hrivell'd up in ignorance of true 
 Good, opens and ftretches out it fel£ 
 as the Eye to the Sun, or as the Ap- 
 petite to the moft guftful, or delicious 
 meats and when the Soul is drawn 
 
 out 
 
Ct>e ©?eat ©oul of ©an* 271 
 
 out to its own Largenefs, then will 
 it know the vanity of all things be- 
 fides Cod, and that its great Affe&i- 
 onsand Defires cannot befetisfiedby 
 any thing Lower, or LeAer, than he is 5 
 but (hall feel the extremities of want, 
 the neceffities of inraged and unfatis- 
 fied defire in the lofi of him * and the 
 great Motions of Mind will make 
 nerceft refleftions on the Evil of Sin, 
 and the Righteous Difpleafure of 
 God : But on the other fide, Happi- 
 nefs, in the Favour and Enjoyment of 
 God, (hall flow in upon the extended 
 Defires and Affeftions, and the excel- 
 lency of the Mind (hall adore and ad- 
 mire the greatnefs of Divine Glory, 
 and thebleifedneft of enjoying it. 
 
 3. God hath refolved upon De- 
 grees of Happinefs and Punifliment: 
 Now the more the Soul is enlighten- 
 ed, and its Faculties heightened, the 
 more capable it is of Glory 5 Thus one 
 Star differs from another in Glory 5 
 having a greater Orb for the recepti- 
 on of Light, having a purer and quick- 
 er Light : So alfo the more the Fa- 
 culties are enlarged , the more capa- 
 ble they are of Woe and Punifliment, 
 and to be beaUnwith more jirifes. The 
 
 more 
 
2?a C&e $?eat Soul of $att. 
 
 more therefore any one finds his Fa- 
 culties now quickened and opened, 
 the more he may apprehend, and fo 
 be the more excited to fear the dan- 
 ger, and lay hold on the Happinefc. 
 
 4. Seeing all depends upon the Aftua- 
 tion either of the Merey and Goodnefs 
 of God, or his Indignation 5 from 
 hence appears both the Freenels of 
 his Grace and Mercy in Chrift, in the 
 glorification of his Saints, and the Li- 
 berty of his Indignation and Wrath 
 in the Punilhment of wicked men: 
 For though all things that God does 
 in thefe things, are contrived into the 
 greateft Conveniences and Aptnefs to 
 their feveral Ends, yet if he did not 
 continually move them, in whom all 
 things live, move, and have their Be- 
 ings y that do live and move or have 
 any Being, all would lye (till, and 
 there is no other Power that could ex- 
 cite them 5 for who can move before 
 him, or befides him, feeing he moves 
 all hirafelf ? and he who is moved on- 
 ly by himfelfi and from himfclf, can 
 receive no Motion from any other : 
 The Apoftle therefore thus expreffej 
 both fides of thefe things; What if 
 Homwt.God willing to /hew his Wrath y and 
 
 make 
 
Cbe ©#at aoul of 89 am 273 
 
 ^(e A// power known, and that he 
 might make known the Riches of hit 
 Mercy: So then he hath mercy on v.18. 
 whom he will have mercy, and whom 
 he will he hardeneth. 
 
 Thefe things being thus fixed, let 
 us further enlarge upon them, by way 
 of Confe&ary : And firft, we are led 
 by them to thefe three Petitions. 
 
 1. Let us pray, that God would 
 keep and contain our Defires and Re- . 
 flexions within due bounds, that we 
 may not exceed our Condition, by un- 
 ruly Appetite 3 nor pore too much 
 upon the Difadvantages and Vexati- 
 ons of our Condition: For if our 
 Souls are Let out above due meafure, 
 how full of Torment and Agony may 
 we be ? He faflAons the hearts of Men 
 alike, or to an equality, to their Con- 
 dition $ for he as the Totter moulds 
 the Clay, and fits it to this or that 
 Figure^ The father of Spirits forms 
 the Spirit of Man within him 5 and 
 he doth it in Mercy, or Judgment, as 
 he pleafes, yet with righteoufnefs, 
 and plenty of Jujlice: Moft neceffary 
 it is therefore, that into his Hand we 
 at all times commend our Spirits, not 
 onlv when we are going out of the 
 T Body 
 
274 €t)e ©?eat ©oul of $)an« 
 
 Body into thoie unknown Regions, 
 but while we are here in the Body, 
 that we may be kept within due 
 Meafures. 
 
 Further, It ismoft neceffary to pray, 
 Prov. |o. <rh at Goc i would f ee d us w ith Fooc i 
 
 i Chron*. convenient for us, that he would blefs 
 4- 1°' us indeed, and enlarge our Border to 
 juft proportions, and that he would 
 keep away Evil from us, in fuch a 
 degree, that it may not grieve us, 
 piercing us too deep, that we may not 
 fall into Temptations , murmurings 
 and difcontents againfl: God, into 
 Rages and Fury againfl our (elves: 
 This is to blefs us indeed, when our 
 Minds and our Condition are equally 
 poiz'd} when Divine Providence pro- 
 portions our Condition to our Minds, 
 and our Minds to our Condition. 
 
 When God does not thus preferve 
 Mens Souls, how do they fall, as Saul 
 under an Evil Spirit , forfaken of 
 God 1 ? They fall firft upon the edge, 
 and point, of their own edged, point- 
 ed Thoughts, and then upon their 
 Sword. And thus it would be with 
 all Men, did not God fweeten their 
 Spirits with his Blejfings ofGoodnefs, 
 as with the joys of Harveji } and fii- 
 
 ftain 
 
tEbe ©?eat ©oul of $)am 375 
 
 ftain them with his benign Influences, 
 as with the gladnefi of Corn, Oyl, and 
 Wine. 
 
 God gives us many Documents of 
 the force and vehemency of our Souls, 
 in the examples of fome tranfported 
 with Divine Joy, even to RaviQi- 
 ment $ another falling into greateft 
 Agonies of Mind and Thought 5 in 
 the dark and fad part of whofe con- 
 dition, we are not to think, that they 
 had greater fins, or (harper thoughts, 
 than others 5 but they are our Exam- 
 p/es y and teach us, whatwefhouldbe, 
 if God did not qualifie us now 3 and 
 what we (hall be in Eternity, if not 
 reconciled to God, and thereby alfo 
 to our felves 3 we (hall fall with great- 
 eft Fury and Rage upon our felves : 
 For it is but a little thing, what a 
 Man executes with his own Hand up- 
 on his Body now, in comparifon of 
 thofe Rages, wherewith he will fall 
 upon himfelf in Eternity. 
 
 2. We have need to pray, That 
 God would draw out our Souls now, 
 that we might fee them , and know 
 them 5 for we do not enough under- 
 ftand our Souls, we confider them 
 not, becaufe we lye ftill. But why 
 T 2 (hould 
 
27 6 Htljs ©?eat ©oul of $)am 
 
 Ihould it be hard to conceive > That 
 as Mens Souls are now awakened by- 
 Study, Obfervation, A&ion, fo much 
 more by entring into another World, 
 the moft ftupid Soul may be awaken- 
 ed, being let loofe out of the Body : 
 It (hould be therefore our moft earneft 
 Prayer, that God would open us to 
 our felves, that we may not make 
 provifion for our felves only, as fo lit- 
 tle, as we feem to be, and left when 
 we come to dye, we fall into thofe 
 horrible amazes, that will arife from 
 being miftaken in our felves, but 
 that feeing, and knowing what we 
 are, we may make fo great a provifi- 
 on for our felves, as our cafe requires, 
 and fo not be for ever miferable, 
 through our not fo much ashalfmea- 
 fures of our felves, and provifions ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
 3. We have need to pray , That 
 God would draw out our whole Minds 
 upon himfelf, and Chrift our Lord, in 
 away of Defire and Affeftion, of Joy 
 and (atisfaftion 5 and that we may be 
 repleniftied with fuch affurances of the 
 love of the Father in his Son, that we 
 may have no occafion to be cruel to 
 our felves j For as extremity of want 
 
 and 
 
ft&e ®?eat Soul of ©am 277 
 
 and hunger turns men, as Tygers, up- 
 on their own Flefti, fo the Horrours 
 arifing from the Wrath of God, and 
 the unappealable want of him, en- 
 rage the Soul againft it felf$ but the 
 enjoyment of him infinitely blefles 
 and fatiates it with pleafure, (wee- 
 tens it into greateft love and kindnefs 
 to its own (elf. And the Spirit thus 
 fupported will bear any other infirmi- 
 ty 5 as David, having God for his 
 Light and Salvation, feared nothing y 
 HabakJwK deprived or all favourable 
 appearances, neither the Fig-tree blof- 
 foming, nor any Fruit on the Vines y 
 the labour of the Olive failing , the 
 Floch^ cut off from the Fold, and no 
 Herd in the Stalls, yet he rejoyced in 
 the Lord, and gloried in the God of 
 his Salvation. 
 
 In the fecond place, We may upon 
 this Head of Di(courfe, make thefe 
 dodirinal Recolle&ions. 
 
 r. There is a high pitch of Hap- 
 pinefs, or a very low degree of Mife- 
 ry, to which every Man is prepared : 
 For the further defcription of which, 
 let us confider the two great Orders 
 of Spirits, Happy, and Miserable, Spi- 
 rits } to oneof which we (hall ever have 
 a likenefs. T 3 The 
 
«78 ^ to @?eat ©oul ot $9aru 
 
 The Head, the Supreme, the Prince 
 ofthefirft Order, is Jehovah himfelf, 
 who in the higheft and moft perfeft 
 Aft of his own Infinite Underftanding 
 and Will, and the higheft Satisfaftion 
 in Himfelf, and enjoyment of Himfelf; 
 lives from Eternity to Eternity, the 
 Moft Happy and only Potentate, with 
 his Eternal Son, and Spirit 5 without 
 any Diffatisfa&ion , Difcompofure , 
 Wearinefs,prTedioufnefs to Himfelf, 
 or the leaft Shadow of impreffion upon 
 him from Without. 
 
 This is infinitely clear concerning 
 God 5 In his Prefence is fulnefs of Joy, 
 At his Right Hand are Pleafures For 
 Evermore. 
 
 If we could imagine, as indeed we 
 cannot, becaufe Experience fo mighti- 
 ly contradi&s it,thatany Prince (hould 
 , live in all thofe Delights and Pleafures 
 the moft (plendid Court afFords,with- 
 out any tedioufneft or fatiety ten 
 thoufand years 5 what a dark repre- 
 fentation were this of God? though 
 he could do and enjoy all he would. 
 
 Let us then imagine higher, That a 
 Prince of wifeft, moft refined, and 
 delightful Speculation, could live in 
 the Height and perfeft Reft of a moft 
 
 pleafu- 
 
C&e ©?eat Soul of 9& an ♦ 179 
 
 pleafurable Contemplation, without 
 the lead difquiet } how lowly an Em- 
 blem would this be of the infinite 
 Bleffednefs of God ? Now God made 
 Man in his own Image and likenefs, fo 
 that the Soul of Man is capable of a 
 communication of this Bleffednefs, in 
 the perfection of his Underftanding 
 and Will, enjoying God with unex- 
 preffible Joy, and Peace, and yet in 
 the higheft Life of A&ion. 
 
 Under God are the BlefTed Angels, 
 of whom the Scripture fpeaks, both 
 of their Knowledge, Perfeftion, and 
 Power, joined with Holinefs and 
 Obedience to God, who have been 
 Participants of the Glory and Bleffed- 
 nefs of God, from the firft Dawn of 
 Creation, and in all this time have 
 not had leaft tirednefs or fatiation, but 
 higheft Blifs and Joy. Next to thefe 
 are the Spirits ofjutt Men made per- 
 fe£f$ who are by fucceffion, as they 
 go out of the World, taken into this 
 Happinefs. 
 
 Now in all thefe Inftances it plain- 
 ly appears, to what a height of Hap- 
 pinefs Holy Men are defigned, being 
 made like God, equal to Angels, in 
 the aflurancc of which good Mens 
 T 4 Souls 
 
a8o tltje ©jeat Soul of ©art* 
 
 Souls enjoy the Confolations of that 
 better ftate in this, and are daily re- 
 moved into it, when they dye. 
 
 For the Order of Spirits Miferable 
 and Unhappy, Spirits, of which the 
 Devil is the Prince^ although indeed 
 there cannot be fuch a Mifery, as 
 (hould ftand a counterpoife to Gods 
 Happinefs} for Mifery is but a retreat 
 from God and his Happtnefs, from his 
 Favour and Grace , as Darknefs is 
 from Light, and being under the Exe- 
 cutions of his Wrath } yet all this is 
 within the inclofure of a Finite Being, 
 and were there not an unchangeable 
 Will of God, and a Decree of his Ju- 
 ftice, that he will not reverfe, all Mi- 
 fery might be removed off from tjie 
 moft Unhappy of Beings, and taken 
 quite away. 
 
 But as things are, The Mifery of 
 Spirits may be thus underftood in the 
 great Exemplar of it, the Mifery of 
 Fallen Angels* and the Prince of them, 
 the Devil. 
 
 i. There is a Height and utmoft 
 ftretch of A&ion. The Devil is re- 
 prefented as always in Motion, from 
 the firft beginning of Mifery he hath 
 no Reft, even while he u in Chains, 
 
 a: 
 
t!tfte ©jeat <Soul of gten. affi 
 
 as fierce Maftives,he moves as far as he 
 can, and rages at the (hortnefs of his 
 Chain 5 he hath had no fleepy mo- 
 ments of Non-a&ion, fince the day of 
 his fall, no Breathing Time, no Truce : 
 Thus the Soul in Mifery is extended, 
 as we now fpeak, day and night, that 
 is perpetually, without intermiffion, 
 with an endlefi Aftion and Motion. 
 Confider, what is Reft and Sleep to a 
 Man of a tormented Mind, and wea- 
 ried Thoughts^ a Sleep wherein he is 
 not feared with Dreams^ and terrified 
 with Vijions, how unhappy doth he 
 think himfelf in the want of it? how 
 unwilling is he to be awakened out of 
 it } And from thence underftand the 
 Mifery, of being perpetually awake in 
 Mifery. 
 
 2. There is an ignoblenefs, a bafe- 
 nefs in all his Motions, he goes upon 
 his Belly^ and eats Duji } he hath no 
 Motion that can give him comfort 
 from any glimmering of worthinefs, 
 or generofity in it 5 in all the multi- 
 tude of his Motions, he has none that 
 can in the leaft cool the Furnace of his 
 tormented Thoughts : Any Degree 
 of Worthinefs in his Aftion would a- 
 bate his Urthappinefs. All is full of 
 
 Cruelty* 
 
282 Wot ©?eat Soul of $)ain 
 
 Cruelty, Envy, Black and Malicious 
 Defign, breathing the Fire and Smoak 
 of Hell : He goes up and down, An- 
 gry, Fierce, Malecontent, Cruel to 
 himfelf, and full of Rage againft o- 
 ther<^ as a Ravening roaring Lion 
 feekjng whom he may devour. This is 
 the frate of miferabie Souls, There is 
 a continual gnawing and fcorching of 
 w '\\)c(s^ without any thing to cool 
 the ilf of the Tongue, any the lead: in- 
 tention and motion of Goodnefs, that 
 might cool one flaming hellifh 
 Thougi it: There is a Rage againft 
 God, an Envy at the Bleflednefs of 
 Heaven, returning with unexpreffible 
 Mifery, upon thole unhappieft of Be- 
 ings, a Hatred, an Execration of them- 
 felves. 
 
 3. There is a Horrour, Amaze- 
 ment, and trembling Senfe of the Su- 
 preme Juftice, Holinefs, and Power 
 of God over him, with the Confci- 
 J*tn;2.i9. ence of his own Guilt 5 The Devils be- 
 lieve and tremble. The Fountain of 
 Life, Beauty, and Happinefs is Hell 
 from Heaven to them } becaufe they 
 find nothing in themfelves, but di- 
 ftance, and contrariety, horrid enmi- 
 ty and hatred : They are convinc'd of 
 
 that 
 
Cfye <&mt ®oul of g©an* a 8 3 
 
 that High Juftice and Righteoufoefs 
 in the midft of fo great Wrath and 
 Vengeance upon them , and this with- 
 out leifure or intermiffion, and there- 
 fore perpetually ftiake with Fear and 
 Horrour, while they are moft Daring 
 againft God. Thus alfo the Souls of 
 Damned Men lye for ever trembling 
 under the Juftice of God. Now we 
 know by experience, that fome Dif- 
 ea(es exercifing Men with a continual 
 Trepidation , are therefore moft 
 dreadful and difmal, and fome Mens 
 Confciences being all in an Agony,put 
 them into a moft lamentable Trem- 
 bling. What then is the condition of 
 thofe, who fall into the extremity of 
 thefe things, and that For Ever ? In- 
 to which yet infenfible Men haften in 
 great numbers. 
 
 2. Hence we may learn the more 
 general ftate of Good and Bad Men 
 here in the World , and the Reafons 
 of both : The ftate of Good Men not 
 full of the Confblations of God 3 of 
 wicked Men not full of the Horrours, 
 and Torments of Hell. 
 
 In Good Men, there is a poize be- 
 tween the dilcomforts of bodily in- 
 convenience, and of the prelent life, 
 
 the 
 
284 W)t @?eat Saul of S?tem 
 
 the fears and (acj apprehenfions that 
 pertain to their ftate towards God, 
 and the great danger of Hell, on one 
 part} and the Favours of God to 
 them, in the gracious fupports of this 
 life natural, inlaid with the more ble£ 
 fed Tokens of his love to them in 
 Chrift, the immediate Divine Com- 
 forts he gives them , the hopes they 
 haveefcaped that greateft of dangers, 
 on the other part. 
 
 In Bad Men,there is a poize between 
 the pleafures and enjoyments of Life 
 prefent, the great inapprehenfivenefs 
 of Eternal Things, yea foolifh Hopes 
 and Dreams of the Bleflednefs and 
 Happinefs of it, giving greater (cope 
 to fenfiiality to play its part } thefe in 
 one Scale: The many Troubles, Difc 
 quiets, and Difappointments they 
 meet with in this World, the fudden 
 Blows of Conference , and qualmy 
 forethoughts of another World, lying 
 in the other Scale. 
 
 Now all this is a low ftate of Souls, 
 and a difpenfation of God for holy 
 and wife Reafons, intending fuch a 
 kind of ftate for the time being 5 like 
 that of the Jewifh Worfhip, and Pro- 
 mifes, which were only outward, and 
 
 terrene, 
 
ttO* ®?*at ®^ ul of ©an* 285 
 
 terrene, till the time of Reformations 
 fo is the ftate of the Souls of Men here 
 in the World, both of good and bad 
 Men. 
 
 This ftate of Good Men in the 
 World, is both in Mercy and Judg- 
 ment upon the World. 
 
 In Mercy, For there being fuch a 
 mixture of the Interefts and Concerns 
 of Good Men, with the general Af- 
 fairs and Interefts of the Word, there 
 is for their fakes a great care and heed 
 of Providence over the courfe of this 
 World 5 and as it is ufually faid, If 
 there were never a Righteous Man in 
 the World, the whole World would 
 be deftroyed, fo if their Interefts 
 were taken out of it, there would be 
 a prefent Ruine upon the Affairs of 
 it } their Perfons and Interefts are of 
 great advantage to the World, that 
 it might not be managed by Evil Men 
 only. 
 
 Now if their Affeftions were fo 
 highly moved after God, Eternal life, 
 and the Things of that Life, and the 
 Gonfolations received from them 
 were anfwerable, all the Things of this 
 Life would be of fuch an undervalue, 
 that they would not mind the care of 
 
 Things 
 
286 tltje <5?eat Soul of $)am 
 
 Things below, nor have any Interefts 
 here, as the Primitive Christians, that 
 were negligent of all Things, but the 
 Better RefurreSion. 
 
 Again , It is in feverity to the 
 World, for if there were fuch an illu- 
 ftrious prefence of Religion, and 
 the Life of it, it would certainly 
 draw many more in to it, as many in 
 thole firft Times, that had never con- 
 fidered Chriftianity before, ran into 
 the embraces of it, though upon the 
 Sword, into Flames, and prefent 
 Death} but now Religion appearing 
 (b defpicable, not only in regard of 
 its addrefs, carried off from Senfe, 
 but much more in the want of the 
 Power, Life, and Luftreofit felf, it 
 comes to pals Co very few are invited 
 into it. 
 
 It is alfo in chaftifement upon Good 
 Men, and the remaining corruption 
 of degenerate Nature, that they are 
 not more exalted in the Heights and 
 Glories of Chriftianity, and its Con- 
 folation. 
 
 In the (econd place, That Men un- 
 converted to God are not for the ge- 
 nerality more affrighted, and affefted 
 with the Fears of eternal Wrath and 
 
 Punifh- 
 
HJje fl>?eat ©oul of ®atn *%7 
 
 Punifhment, and only moved with the 
 prefent Evils, according to the degree 
 of impreffion they make upon them, 
 is in long-fuffering, it being much bet- 
 ter for Men themfelves, and all they 
 have to do with, that they are not in 
 thofe horrible conditions of Saul, Ju- 
 das, and Cain^ who were not promo- 
 ted to Repentance by thofe Terrours, 
 and became a Terrour to all round a- 
 bout them : For if Men have not that 
 only ufe of them, that can counter- 
 vail their pain, it is a Mercy to be out 
 of this Hell, while they are hereup- 
 on Earth. Taking then the ftate of 
 the World, as it is, it is a great Ar- 
 gument of the Patience of God to- 
 wards Men, and vvithout which the 
 condition of the World could not 
 ftand : For Men in thofe Terrours 
 mind not the World, while they are in 
 it, and violently haften out of it 5 (b 
 that if the generality of Men unrecon- 
 ciled to God were in fuch a cafe, there 
 would be no management of Humane 
 Affairs, no enjoyment of them, but 
 an univerfal diftraftion, and difconfb- 
 latenefs. 
 
 And yet there is a Juftice in it alfo, 
 That Men in a Dream of Peace, and 
 
 deep 
 
288 <C(je ©?eat Soul of $)an. 
 
 deep Ignorance of their Souls, and an 
 Eternal Condition, fhould move to the 
 Mifery of it, and not confider whi- 
 ther they move 5 their Souls and the 
 Eternal Condition being fo much con- 
 cealed from them. And that great 
 Atheifm, Wtckednefs, and general fen- 
 fuality of the World, takes advan- 
 tage and incouragement from hence, 
 and Godlineft hereupon becomes not a 
 matter of neceflity, but of the Grace 
 of God, and the holy choice of Good 
 Men. 
 
 3. Yet in the third place, God may 
 raife the Soul to a great Degree of the 
 Confolations of Eternal Happinefi, 
 and impofe a great Degree of the Ter- 
 rours of Hell upon it, ifhepleafes. 
 Of the firft, jD^/W/ exprcffionsare 
 
 Pfal. 26 a Teftimony } They Jhall be abundant* 
 
 8,9. ly fatisfied with the bounties of thy 
 Houfe : Thou fialt make them drink 
 of the River of thy pleafures : For 
 with* thee is the Fountain of life: In 
 
 Pfa!.6a.g. thy Light fl) all we fee Light : Bccaufe 
 thy loving kjndnefs is better than 
 life, my lips f jail praife thee. S.Pauls 
 challenge of all things, and defying 
 them, as not able to feparate from the 
 
 Rom ' 8 - love of God in Cbrtfi. Thefe are, 
 
 with 
 
COe ©?eat Soul of &m. 289 
 
 with innumerable others, high expref- 
 fions of a fully fatisfied aflurance of 
 the Favour and Grace of God, and 
 the Happinefs that is to be found in 
 it. 
 
 Of the latter, What dreadful in- 
 ftances are Cain crying out, My fin is Gcn# *£ 
 greater than can be forgiven } Efau yel- 
 ling out fo dreadfully for the Bleffing^ 
 Saul under an evil Sprit, going to the i Sam. a», 
 Witch, becaufe God had forfaken 7# 
 him, and at laft falling upon the point 
 of his Sword } Ahitophel hanging him- i Sam.^r. 
 Jelfi and Judas jlrangled with his me- 5 ' 
 
 lancholy Horrours ? 
 
 If a Mans Underftanding, Affeftions, 
 Thoughts, Defires, with all their Re- 
 tinue, were extended, and run high 
 upon God, and Holinefi, and the 
 eternal enjoyment of him, and the 
 comforts of God delighting all thefe, 
 and the Oyl of Grace gliding along 
 upon them, even down upon the Bo- 
 dy, likf the precious Ojntment on the 
 Head of Aaron, going down to the 
 skirts of his Garments 5 how fweet 
 would thefe interweavings of the Soul 
 and its trueft and everlafting Joys be, 
 even unfpeakable and full of Glory .<? 
 
 On the other fide, when a Man is 
 U firft 
 
290 tgfye ©ieat ©oul of $)am 
 
 firft racked, and ftretched into vaft 
 and infatiable Defires, without fatis- 
 fa&ion, and rolled up and down upon 
 a thoufand uneafie Thoughts concern- 
 ing them, and, inftead of mitigation, 
 and cooling allays, hath the guilt 
 of his unworthy A&ions, and the 
 fears of a Juftice to difquiet him 5 
 l^ow uneafie muft fuch a Mans Soul of 
 neceffity be to him ? and if thefe are 
 wreathed clofe about him, and pref- 
 fed home upon him by the Indignati- 
 on of God, let out againfl: him 5 as 
 the former is a little Image of Heaven, 
 fb is this of Hell. 
 
 Now it is certain, No man hath 
 power over his own Spirit, either to 
 damp the gracious and merciful mo- 
 vings of his Divine Spirit, or to keep 
 out and forbid the angry entrances of 
 Divine Difpleafures, and Revenges: 
 - God is the God of the Spirits of all 
 FleJI), and a&s them as he pleafes. No 
 man c^n imprint upon himfelf tye rea- 
 fons of Comfort or Difquiet, or flafh 
 into his own Soul, Joy or Sorrow, but 
 under the guidance and fupreme go- 
 vernment of God, who giveth quiet* 
 nefs, fo as none can make trouble, and 
 fo hides his face that none can be- 
 hold 
 
<Ebe ©?eat Soul of S^att* 2 9 1 
 
 &?/rf A/« : -4/ hepleafes he cajls dorcn^ 
 and raifes up, and none can flay his 
 hand, fo much as within themfelves y 
 or fay unto him^ What dojl thou? 
 
 So great is his Freedom herein, 
 that he fometimes anfivers Men, that 
 are ftrangers to him, in the joy of 
 their hearts, all their lives 5 and his 
 word of Bleffing goes along with the 
 ordinary favours he does them, fo 
 that the Fears of Wrath to come are 
 hid from them} and on the other fid<v 
 thofe whom he hath made his Friend?, 
 and will ufe fo for ever, are covered 
 with a Cloud , nay fometimes he fets 
 them as a mark^ for his arrows, 
 even cuts them off with his Terrours, 
 
 For he is the great Aftuator of 
 Mens Spirits, without whom, as the 
 firft Mover, the whole Motion of Na- 
 ture w r ould (land (\1ll3 and he difpo- 
 (es them fo, that a Man doth, nor 
 can to any fat isfaftory account find out 
 himfelf} and he therefore feels his 
 greateft fecurity in refting upon God, 
 and being guided by him. 
 
 4. But Eternity is that vaft feafo:i, 
 in which God brings all to a righteous 
 certainty, and which he hath ap- 
 pointed for Happinefs without allay, 
 U 2 or 
 
2?? tEtJe <S5?eat Soul of $$&u 
 
 or Mifery without mixture, which 
 may be made out three ways. 
 
 i. In that in Eternity the whole 
 power of the Soul runs together one 
 and the feme way: In this life the 
 holieft Men have great allays of their 
 holieft and beft Motions, and counter- 
 motions of Difcontent, and Unbelief 
 to their greateft Comforts 5 Evil men 
 have generally at leaft fbme pleafures, 
 hopes, motions to their advantage, 
 notwithftanding all the erodes they 
 meet with in the World, or the fecret 
 (bunds of horrour they have at certain 
 times in their Confciences. 
 
 In this World the Soul fends out 
 parties of it felf, divers ways, or to 
 feveral ends. The Judgment may be 
 pleafed inthemain,and yet the AfFefti- 
 ons difturbed 5 or thefe more (till, and 
 yet the Judgment diflatisfied and di- 
 fturbed : One Thought goes out in 
 high difcontent, another flyes after it, 
 recalls, and reconciles it : On the other 
 fide, one Thought leaps out of the 
 Soul with pleafure, another reproves, 
 daunts, and dejefts it with a correftion 
 of its hafte. But in Eternity the Soul 
 is united in its Motions, which way 
 one Faculty goes, all go 3 and the 
 
 Thoughts 
 
tE&e ©jeat Soul of 89am 293 
 
 Thoughts are all concentred as in one 
 whole and entire Thought of Joy or 
 Torment. 
 
 2. In Eternity there is but one 
 ftate of the Soul, and the profpeft of 
 the Soul is but one. In this World 
 change of place, converfation, diffe- 
 rence of Events raife different Affe- 
 ctions and Motions of Mind 3 varieties 
 of bufinefles, cccafions, and tempers 
 upon them, do Co diftraft and move 
 all forts of Men up and down, that 
 there is nothing pure and unconfoun- 
 ded : In Eternity there is one ftate of „ 
 .Soul, and fo one aftion, there is no- 
 thing to mix with either condition : It 
 is one Happinels, or one Mifery. 
 
 Even the moft fad and difinal pro- 
 fpedt, the profped upon Hell and 
 Eternal Mifery, gives to the Saints rea- 
 fon of admiration, and higheft ado- 
 ration of God , in their deliverance 
 from it : On the other fide, the moft 
 glorious Bleflednefs and Happinefs of 
 Heaven, is to Men in Hell, when they 
 look up to it, their higheft Amaze- 
 ment, and inflames their Torment, by 
 reafon of their envy againft God, and 
 thofe that dwell with him in Heaven, 
 their refleftions upon their own Mi- 
 ll 3 fery, 
 
294 ^^ ®lt*t ®°ul of $)atn 
 
 fery, and Rage againft themfelves. 
 Thus one State, one A&ion, one Hap- 
 pinefs, one Mifery, and all to the 
 height, fill Eternity. 
 
 3. Then it is that God proceeds to 
 the higheft aftuation of the Soul, 
 drawing out all the powers of it, and 
 fetting open all the Windows of Hea- 
 ven upon it, pouring into it all the 
 always full, and ever flowing Vials of 
 his Love, Grace, and Mercy } or of his 
 Power, Wrath, and Juftice 5 which as 
 they are uaintermitted themfelves in 
 their (beams, fo it is impofiible, the 
 Soul that is moved, or driven by 
 them fhould reft from an action anlwe- 
 rable to them. 
 
 4. In Eternity there is a Body fit- 
 ted to the Happinefs or Mifery of the 
 Mind. In this World Happinefs is 
 dulled by the ftupidities, or clogged 
 with the flownefs of the Bodies Moti- 
 on, or grows cloying by its incapaci- 
 ty to % receive more. The pains and 
 griefs of it call the Mind from its en- 
 joyments, to take pity on it, fo that 
 the inconveniences of the Body allay 
 the happinefs of the Mind 5 on the 
 other fide, this Body fubciits it (elf to 
 fpeedy difTolution, if its own pains 
 
 are 
 
tttie 6?eat Soul of Stem 2? 5 
 
 are extreme 5 and its griefs if leifurely 
 and tolerable are abated by being fo, 
 as, if over burdenfome, they deftroy : 
 The troubles of the Mind are much 
 blunted by the groffhefs of Body, in 
 which the Mind cannot feel perfe&ly 
 its own fentiments 5 and the pleafures 
 and divertifements of that Body do 
 often allay the anguifti of Confidence 5 
 as Cain grew to fome quiet with him- 
 felf, by building a City : But in Eter- Gen.4,17. 
 nity the Body is alfo fpiritual, that is, • 
 wholly prepared to the ufe and fer- 
 vice of the Spirit, and to receive, and 
 attend, and difplay its Motions, and 
 condition, to feel its pleafures and 
 pains, to bear its Glory or Deformi- 
 ty openly 5 all kinds of thefe prefent 
 bodily Pleafures and Pains, Beauties 
 or Deformities being then wholly re- 
 moved. For either the Happinefs'er 
 Mifery of meer Body is neither wor- 
 thy of God, nor of the Soul, but 
 would be on the one fide a fottilh 
 Pleafare, on the other fide like the 
 tormenting of a Beaft, and fo not 
 agreeable to God, or the dilcourfe 
 of Scripture, however things may be 
 reprefented to our ftnfe , and how- 
 ever the difplay of thefe things may 
 U 4 pafs 
 
296 Cfee @?eat ©oul of $att* 
 
 pafs into the Body, and be all feen 
 there 5 yet we know, themoftexceC- 
 five pleafures of Body interrupt the 
 proper motions of Soul, in which true 
 HappinefsorMiferylye, for neither is 
 a man drenched in an irrational plea- 
 fure, nor tormented, and he knows 
 not why 5 but there is an orderly mo?- 
 tion, a fenfe of fin and guilt, of the 
 fupreme Juftice of God in his righte- 
 ous Executions of Judgment 5 in 
 Happinefs an adoring of Infinite Grace 
 and Mercy, a Rational Tafte of Holy 
 and Divine Pleafures. 
 
 I (hall now,as a Conclufion, draw up 
 all this Difcourfe into thefe praftical 
 Conclufions flowing from the whole. 
 
 1. Hereby I underftand I have an 
 immortal and everlafting Soul, to 
 take care of^ we look upon our felves 
 hs Fkjh and Bloody but we do not 
 confider thefe Immortal Spirits, and 
 their great Powers, Underftanding, 
 Imagination , Will , Confcience, Af- 
 feftions, 'and the motion of thefe to 
 be Everlafting : We do not examine, 
 whether our Souls have a true Health, 
 Peace, and Safety, and a» good Pro- 
 yifion made for them ? Whether our 
 fiences are guiet, and upon 
 
 good 
 
tlfce ©*eat ©oul of Iten. 197 
 
 good grounds ? Whether our AfFefti- 
 ons are purified and holy ? For a man 
 toconfider his Soul thus, is indeed to 
 confider a mans (elf 5 what Jbal/ it Luc, p.2p 
 pro/ft a man, if he gain the whole 
 World, And lofe him/elf? The Soul is 
 a true Self, and how dreadful will the 
 miftake appear to men ? who have 
 counted the Body, and the Interefts 
 of that, the only Self} and this other 
 true, the greateft Self ftarts out : A 
 Self, that now lyes under as many Co- 
 vers, as a Body under a multitude of 
 Garments, and fo is concealed : But 
 then it breaking out, and not being 
 provided for-, that great principle of 
 felf prelervation , finding now its 
 greateft Objeft, will force a man to 
 cry out with a moft dreadful Emula- 
 tion and Complaint, Oh this falfe 
 Self that I have laboured for, how 
 hath it deceived me? My very Self I 
 never thought of, and fohave loft it : 
 What (hall I give now in exchange for 
 this my true Self? 
 
 2. I hereby underftand, I am made 
 for Holinefs , as the true Peace and 
 Greatnefs of my Spirit, for a converfe 
 with God, for an attendance upon 
 him, for an observation of his Favour 
 
 and 
 
298 lE(je ©?eat Soul of $)am 
 
 and Countenance towards me, and 
 that herein is the Life of my Spirit 3 
 and on the other fide, I am very apt 
 to be tempted to fin, and drawn away 
 from God, to live at a diftance from 
 him, to lofe him, and herein at laft 
 will be found the Torment and Hell 
 of Souls 5 and therefore I have great- 
 eft reafon to be awakened about thefe 
 things, and earneftly to pray to God, 
 that he would put me into a high and 
 vigorous a&ion concerning them, and 
 to be extremely unfatisfied , when I 
 find my felf infenfible concerning them, 
 and therefore to labour earneftly to 
 be in a good itate and condition in 
 relation to them. 
 
 3. I hereby underftand, I am made 
 and defigned , and (hall certainly be 
 unexpreffibly Happy or Miferable to 
 extremity $ and who can fay this to 
 himfelf, without higheft concern up- 
 on his own Soul ? If any one (hould 
 tell us, we were ordained to be one 
 of thele, extraordinarily happy and 
 profperous, or deplorably unhappy , 
 and were about to read our Fate or 
 Doom to u$ and that we had confi- 
 derable Reafons ta believe fuch a one, 
 who would not with a moft trembling 
 
 fufpenfe 
 
C&€ ©?eat *cul of $9am 259 
 
 fufpenfe of mind wait what it fhould 
 be? When any one is to receive the 
 Iflue of his Caufe from a Judge or 
 Jury, how high and impatient is his 
 expectation ? But how much more 
 fhould our Thoughts wait for this Iflue 
 of Things > and God hath placed it 
 in the motions of thefe oar own 
 Thoughts } for when they move, en- 
 lightened with his Countenance, 
 cleanfed and annointed with his 
 Grace, ennobled with his Spirit, de- 
 lighted with his Confolations, this is 
 Heaven begun, this is Happinefs grow- 
 ing up : When they are bafe for want 
 of his Spirit, impure with Luft and 
 difhonourable Affections, full of ran- 
 cour and bitternefo, and all (potted 
 and ftained with guilt 5 this is Hell in 
 theFoundationsofit laid. 
 
 And however my Soul lve ftill now, 
 yet when I lee how many things draw 
 out mens Souls, even in this Life, Edu- 
 cation, better Converie, Solitude, 
 fome great danger or loft in the world, 
 higher Condition, Sicknefs, fome no- 
 table Difcourfe, as in Fzlix^ how 
 much more muft I needs think the 
 change into Eternity will do it ? and 
 therefore no lilence of my Soul now 
 
 can 
 
300 €6e ©?eat Soul of $tem 
 
 can encourage me upon ferious confi- 
 deration to becarelefs of it. 
 
 4. I hereby underftand my unfpeak- 
 able dependence upon the Grace of 
 God, and his Free Favour, and hence 
 learn to humble my felf before him 
 to nothings feeing my Happinefscon- 
 fifts in thofe free Beams of his Favour, 
 in the light of his Countenance^ in' his 
 letting my Soul into a gracious Moti- 
 on by his Spirit, and railing the Mo- 
 tions of my Spirit to a high commu- 
 nion with him in Blifs 5 for feeing I 
 can fo little yield my (elf the accounts 
 of Happinefs , and receive them all 
 from him, and can fo little move my 
 felf upon them, when they are offer- 
 ed by him, I am inconceivably bound 
 and beholden to him, both to open 
 the Fountain of Life ( that is himfelf) 
 to me, and to move me by his Spirit, 
 that I may move. 
 
 On the other fide, If he leaves me 
 to my felf, what Evils (hall I run in- 
 to ? and treafure up torment , and 
 (harpen ftings againft my felf by it 5 
 and how can he inflame my Soul with 
 his Indignation? and to what degrees 
 he pleafes, both now and for ever: 
 For if he hide the face of his Mercy, 
 
 who 
 
tgfye $;eat Soul of ©an. 301 
 
 who 9an behold him ? What Reafon 
 have I therefore to reverence him with 
 Godly Fear, and to acknowledge him 
 with greateft dependency ! I humbly 
 therefore (ay, as the Apoftle, not on- 
 ly, by the Grace of God, I am what I 
 am j but by the Grace of God alone, 
 I hope, what I hope to be. 
 
 5. I hereby underftand,what a great 
 neceffity I have of Jefus Chrift my 
 Lord, the Son of the Wifdom, Glory, 
 Power, and Holinefs of God, the Son 
 of his Love 3 for he is the Attonement, 
 His Blood offered by the Eternal Spi* 
 rit, is the mod excellent Thing in Hea- 
 ven or Earth, and that only which 
 can purge the Consciences the moft 
 excellent and divine Inftrument of Pa- 
 cification with God, and within the 
 Confidence it felf : Through him the 
 Holy Spirit is given, by him is there 
 an entrance into that Holy of Holies^ 
 that Heaven within the Veil 5 for as 
 the value of Souls for which our Lord 
 gave himfelf exalts his Redemption, 
 the great ne(s of the Mifery from which 
 they are refcued, the greatnefs of the 
 Happinefs to which they are exalted, 
 all glorifie the Saviour of Souls 5 fo 
 do thefe Souls, of a Nature fo fupreme, 
 
 require 
 
302 HHje ®#at Soul of $)am 
 
 require fo great a Ranfom antj'ftledia- 
 tor, no lower, no lefler a Price can 
 countervail them 5 and it argues them 
 to be a Nature fo fupreme, that fo 
 great a Mediator undertook fo infi- 
 nitely for them. 
 
 6. Hereby I underftand , the great 
 and extreme Evil of fin 5 for if the 
 breaches &nd diforders of the Crea- 
 tion are fo great arguments of the 
 Evil offing how much more the 
 breaches, the wounds , the horrours 
 of Confcience ! There had never been 
 fuch a Thing as a wounded Spirit ^ had 
 it not been for fin : There had been 
 only perfedt Peace, Glory, and Ho- 
 nour, Happinefs, Pleafure, Joy and 
 BlefTednefi of Spirit 5 fin introduced 
 Debafementand Mifery. 
 
 7. I hereby underftand , what a 
 worthlefs inconfiderable Thing the 
 World is, if truly eftimated, becaufe 
 it is neither that which can be, or 
 ought t& be the Happinefs of a Man, 
 becaufe ■ not the Happinefs of the 
 Soul j and if God be pleaftdto raife 
 any Soul above it, what can it be 
 now? Indeed a Man may be quiet 
 with it for a time, but the Soul fet 
 upon God, and Chrift, and Eternal 
 
 things, 
 
£t>e ©?eat ©oul of Stan; 303 
 
 things, is let where it may reft for E- 
 ver 5 and it may be fo highly fet, and 
 raifed upward, that it may have no 
 need of the World, nor of any thing 
 in it 5 for in the greateft want of 
 it, even now in this life, the Spirit, 
 born up by God, and Chrift, by fenfe 
 of and intereft in him, and Eternal 
 Happinefs, will bear its infirmity $ but 
 becaufe this World can do nothing to 
 help in the amazements ofConfcience, 
 in the Agonies of Death, in theTer- 
 rours of Eternity, wherein can it 
 ferve us > But God line fs hath the pro- iTim.4.8. 
 wife of this life y and of that which is 
 to corner Now our meat and drinJ^ 
 may be to do Gods will^ much more 
 will it be the perfect enjoyment of 
 Eternity. 
 
 This World then, and the life we 
 live in it, is only of ufe to make friends 
 of that we may be received into ever- 
 lafiing Habitations^ to fow to the Spi- 
 rit with 3 tocaftthis life, and all the 
 interefts of it, as a Corn of Wheat in- John i«; 
 to the ground 3 for except it dye into 24j **• 
 a higher^ and more excellent life y it 
 abides alone 5 we know the utmoft 
 can be made of it, it can never rife 
 higher, than it is, and all that can be 
 
 made 
 
304 S#e ®tm Soul of jgait. 
 
 ^rnade of it, the total account is but 
 dyings unhappy man, but • being thus 
 fown, it riles in a fiourifh much more 
 excellent, and brings forth fruit unto 
 Eternal life. 
 
 8. Hereby I underftand the ftate of 
 this World, and of all men in it, and 
 their Motion, even as I underftand 
 how the Happineis or Mifery of Eter- 
 nity lyes : For when I think of 
 Thoughts, Memory, Affeftions, Con- 
 fluence, always and for ever in aft and 
 motion 5 either upon the Conizati- 
 ons, or Terrours of God, andthofe 
 Powers or Motions inwardly Good 
 and Holy, or Evil and Wicked, fo is 
 Happinefs or Mifery. 
 
 So when I fee in the World fuch an 
 even poife, as there is between the vi- 
 gorous life of Grace and Comfort, and 
 thefuppreffions of it, through (o great 
 concernednefs either in the pleafures, 
 or affliftions of this prefent life , in 
 Good Men } I herein fee, and under- 
 Hand, , God doth not call out the Spi- 
 rit to thofe high and illuftrious Mo- 
 tions of Grace, that are proper to fo 
 excellent a ftate as Grace is 3 and 
 hence I conclude, the ftrength and 
 enjoyment of Good Men is not com- 
 parable 
 
©be ©|eat ©out of SBan* 305 
 
 parable to what it might be upon fo 
 excellent Principles. 
 
 Again, On the other fide, when I 
 lee a like poife in the ftate of EviJ 
 Men, between the Trouble and Dif- 
 quiets of this World, and the Pica- 
 lures of it, between forae fccret Fears 
 of a future State, and the infenlible- 
 nefs of it 5 I plainly apprehend, the 
 Patience of God prefer ves Men from 
 thole Horrours they are lb every way 
 capable of. 
 
 And when either of thefe Condi- 
 tions are brought near to an agree- 
 ment, or full correfpondence with 
 thofe Principles, upon which they 
 are fixed , that is, to thofe Joys un- 
 Ipeakable and full of Glory , or to 
 thofe Woes and Agonies of Mind that 
 cannot be eafed, they approach nearer 
 to what they (hall be For Ever. And 
 from both thefe I colled the certain- 
 ty of a Future and Everlafting 
 State. 
 
 9. I hereby underftand, what it is 
 to lofe a Soul : It is not to be dis- 
 charged and acquitted from a Soul, to 
 be as the Beafts, as the Israelites de- 
 fired to be as the Heathens about them. 
 How glad would wicked men be at 
 X laft, 
 
306 Wit ©?eat ©oul of ©am 
 
 laft, if this could be? if their Spirits 
 might go downward, if they could be 
 rolled up into utter fenfelefnefs, or be- 
 come nothing $ if Rocks might fall 
 upon them, and the Mountains covet 
 them. But this cannot be, Men can- 
 not be Beafts, though they defire 
 it 5 God hath known them above all 
 the rejidue of this lower Creati- 
 on^ and brings them to a reckoning 
 fo exaft, that none can be loft in this 
 fenfe: The number of Souls cannot be 
 leffened or wanting. 
 
 The loft then of a Soul is to be loft 
 from true Beauty, Excellency, and 
 Goodneft, to have an abhorred Defor- 
 mity, fo that they cannot endtire to 
 behold themfelves, who have loft the 
 Image of God. If ever any Man did 
 recoil from himfelf, beholding an ug- 
 linefs , where naturally fhould be a 
 Beauty 5 or did abhor himfelf, being 
 confounded with the fenfe of his own 
 unworthy Aftions^ the height here- 
 of is in Hell, both the Deformity, 
 and the Apprehenfion of it : And this 
 is one degree of the lofs of a Soul, its 
 horrible degradation from it fel£ 
 
 Further, It is to be loft from Life 
 and Bleflednefs, into an Eternity of 
 
 Woe 
 
tEbe ©jeat ftoul of 39an* s°7 
 
 Woe and Mifery $ as a Man is loft that 
 is taken Captive, and made a Slave, 
 that is condemned to the Mines of 
 Gallies} to be for Ever the Captive 
 ofjuftice, the Slave of the Wrath and 
 Juftice of God. This is the loft of a 
 Soul 5 and it is the greateft lofs, like 
 the lofs of the Eyes to the Body, or 
 the lofs of Life it felf 3 in comparifon 
 of which Riches are nothings a lofs 
 that a Man would redeem with a thou- 
 fand Worlds, and the Plcafures of fo 
 many Worlds heaped together , and 
 inftead thereof undergo the fevereft 
 mortification of many Ages of life, 
 and fuffer Martyrdoms repeated with- 
 out number, that he might recover 
 the loft Jewel, his Soul. 
 
 And to conclude, It is the worft 
 way of lofing, by which a Soul is loft, 
 it is a lofing it by fin and wickednefs$ 
 not like lofing life in a Noble Caufe, 
 wherein a Man perifhes with Gran- 
 deur and Majefty. Hoc taut urn no bile 
 fici , quod perii. Not fo well as lo- 
 fing what we value by meer misfor- 
 tune, but as a Man, that by Gaming 
 and Debauchery lofes hisEftate, or by 
 Treafon and abhorred wickednefs, lo- 
 fes both Life and Honour together. 
 X 2 There 
 
gc8 %%t ©?eat Soul of $)am 
 
 There is no way of lofing a Soul, 
 but by wickednete , which makes it 
 always a mod accurfed lofs : And 
 thfeythat are (6 loft are an abhor- 
 ring of God,Good Angels, Holy Souls, 
 and even of themfelves 5 like the Car- 
 cafes fpoken of by Efay the Prophet, 
 Whofe Worm^ bred out of themfelves^ 
 dyes not, and the fire prepared to con- 
 fume them is not quenched 5 and they 
 are for Ever an abhorring of all 
 Flefl). 
 
 Laftly, From thefe juft Meafures 
 I have in the former Difcourfe given 
 of a Soul, I find very fatisfaftory fo- 
 lutions to thofe Pretences, that are 
 thought fo mighty, againft the Do- 
 ftrine of the Refurre&ion. For whca 
 I confider, that Body and Matter are 
 always flowing, and in a continual va- 
 riation, that they are not (table e- 
 nough to be much valuable in making 
 up the perfon of a Man, I eafily ad- 
 judge that Honour due to a more no- 
 ble and excellent Being within 5 for 
 if we refpeft a Body diftinftly, who 
 can give an account of the daily De- 
 cays and Reparations, the Acceffions 
 and Diminutions of it, the alterations 
 of it in its afcendency from Infancy 
 
 to 
 
tE&e Gmt Soul of £Jam 309 
 
 to Youth, from Youth to Manhood, 
 the gradual declinations of it into 
 Old Age ? Yet we (till account it the 
 fame Perfon, though it cannot be in a 
 diftinft fenfe the fame Body } there- 
 fore it rauft be the conjunftion with 
 the fame never growing, never decrea- 
 sing Soul, that makes it efteemed the 
 lame. I then colled, whatever of 
 Matter is affumed into a Vital Union 
 with the Soul, and fitted for its ope- 
 rations, is truly called its Body j, and 
 do we not find, the Soul hath the fame 
 love for the new parts of Matter, that 
 daily accrue to it, fo long as they 
 continue in con jundion with it? and 
 that it lofes its love to thofe parts of 
 Matter, before united with it, aflbon 
 as they are loofed, and flye from it : 
 It imprints rationality upon them by 
 its own ufe of them, and they be- 
 come wild, irrational, and infenfible 
 again in their departure from it 5 they 
 are as guilty, as Matter can be, when 
 the Soul vitioufly infpires them} and 
 as virtuous, as Bodily parts can be, 
 when it ufe them in virtuous Moti- 
 ons } the Soul is punilhed, when they 
 being united with it are in diforder, 
 and finds pleafure in their eafe, and 
 X 3 good 
 
3 1 o «t>e ® jeat ©out of $)an; 
 
 good condition. It is yet indifferent 
 to Matter it felf, whether the parts 
 of it burn in a Feaver, or are in the 
 ffioft equal temper, and fo through- 
 out all the varieties of Bodily State 3 
 and it is as indifferent to the Soul, 
 whether thefe material particles are 
 of its older or newer affumption into 
 the participations of its own life, and 
 refentment 5 its care for, and concern 
 in them is all one. This then being 
 laid, as a certain ground, ("for I think 
 it cannot be denyed) that the fame- 
 nefs of the Soul retains with it felf the 
 whole account of the fameneft of the 
 per(bn, no man need intangle himfelf 
 in unneceflary fcruples concerning the 
 Refurre&ion, or think the Wounds of 
 Atheifm deep, and incurable, upon this 
 point of Chriftianity. 
 
 For firft, Let us take that, which 
 feems the mod" natural fenfe of the 
 ApoftlesDifcourfe of this point, 1 Cor. 
 15.36,37, 38. That the dying Body 
 Toh. 1 ». * s as See ^ thrown into the Earth, which 
 24. dyes, that is diffolves, and melts as it 
 were into the Earth, and communi- 
 cates its feminal virtue to it, and from 
 thence it rife? in the very fame kind 
 pf Body, though with much advan- 
 tage 
 
tC&e <S?eat Soul of $Jatt* 3 1 1 
 
 tage, and flouri(hof Nature^ we may 
 then conceive a great part of the 
 whole lump or univerfe of Matter, 
 communicated with the feminal vir- 
 tue of Humane Bodies, full of that 
 Vis plaftica^ which lyes hid and dead 
 now. But as God doth, according to 
 the feveral Seafons of his own appoint- 
 ment, raife out of the Earth the ordi- 
 nary Seeds, fo doth he, in that great 
 Period, or Harveft of the World, draw 
 out of the whole Plot of Nature, the 
 Bodies of every Man, Woman, and 
 Child, the feminal virtue of which 
 remain all along, though conceal'd^ 
 And as the rifing again of Seeds in 
 common Nature, in the main follows 
 the kind of Seeds dying into the 
 Earth, fo it is in this higher and pro- 
 per Refurre&ion : Yet there are very 
 great variations of circumftances too, 
 between the Seeds fown, and their ri- 
 fing again, fo there is in this Refur- % 
 reftion , infomuch that, though there 
 is certainly fo much as to diftinguiih 
 and appropriate every mans Body to 
 himfelf, and fo much, that a vitious, 
 unclean, and unfanftified Body (own ri- 
 fes the fame $ and a holy purified Bo- 
 dy , made the Temple of the Holy 
 X 4 Ghoji, 
 
$ 1 2 c&e ©*eat Soul of &)an* 
 
 Ghofi, riles fuch} and this latter with 
 advantage, and that fo great, that the 
 t Joh.3.2. Apoftle tells us, We know not what we 
 fljall be, only this we know, we Jhall 
 be like hint, for we foall fee hint as he 
 is : And the Apoftle Paul refolves it 
 into this, God gives a Body as it plea- 
 fes him 3 a Body fpiritual, incorrupti- 
 ble, and immortal, conformed to the 
 glorious Body of the Son of God, and 
 fo united with the Soul for Ever. 
 
 And further than this, to approach 
 in a more ftri<2 and literal fenfe to the 
 Article of the Refurre&ion. In all 
 the revolutions of Matter, out of one 
 (hape into another, or the vicifli- 
 tudes of it in the Bodies of Men, en- 
 trihg firfl: into the Body of one Man, 
 then of another, there is yet no lo(s 
 of Matter, the Omnifciency of Cod 
 keeps it all under a ftrift account, di- 
 ftinguifhes it all } his Omnipotency 
 preserves and difpofes it, he knows 
 how, and is able, to fummon it from 
 every corner } there can then be nq 
 want oF any particle of any man, and 
 however fome of the fame Matter may 
 have been common to many Men, yet 
 ive may with eafe conceive fome fubr 
 ftantial p^rts df alj ; Humane Bodies 
 
 kept 
 
C&e G5?eat Soul of gten. 3 13 
 
 kept fo diftincT: by God, as to make 
 up out of them to every Man his own 
 Body, at the Refarre&ion, in as full a 
 fenfe, as Eve was made of the Rib ofStn.*.**: 
 Adam, and taken out of Man \ for we 
 cannot luppofe that done without a- 
 ny addition, but that God made that 
 the Foundation, and built upon it by 
 his own Omnipotency 5 and yet the 
 whole was fo like Adam, that he 
 knew Eve mas Bone of his Bone, FleJJj v. n? 
 of bis FleJI) 5 even fo the Soul (hall 
 know its own Body, notwithftanding 
 any alteration or addition: And how 
 little an addition needs in the making 
 up a fpiritual Body? Refurre&ion is 
 too great a Myftery to fearch into $ 
 but this is plain, The ftme Soul with fo 
 much the fame Body, much eafes the 
 DoArine of the Refurreftion to our 
 Thoughts. 
 
 Nor do I intend this (hould be un- 
 derftood, as the lead intimation, that 
 there is not further proof from Scrip- 
 ture, reconcileable with the princi- 
 ples of true Reafon, to alcertain this 
 Article of Chriftian Faith, in the ut- 
 moft latitude it is affcrted by the 
 Churchy but I have only taken ad- 
 vantage from the greatnefs of the Soul, 
 
 to 
 
3i4 Vfte ®;eat aoul or $9am 
 
 to (hew how far the Do&rine of the 
 Refurre&ion may be verified againft 
 the boldeft iafidelious S&dducee. 
 
 There remains nothing then, but a 
 general review of the ftate of the Soul 
 in thefe Bodies of the Refurre&ion } 
 upon which I have made frequent re- 
 marques already, and (hall only give 
 now this brief Recapitulation. 
 
 The Bodies of that future ftate are 
 fo proportioned and qualified, that 
 they do not at all damp the lively o- 
 perations of a blefled, and for ever ap- 
 pealed, or, the enraged motions of a 
 difturbed and tormented Mind. The 
 Bodies of the Saints are fitted to the 
 choice and beatifying Aftion of 
 their Souls 5 and thofe of the Con- 
 dynned) have fuch kind of Bodies, as 
 give way to the play of a Confcience, 
 foil of the ftings of guilt, and re- 
 bukes of Juftice 5 of the horrours of 
 (in, and reftlefs Exagitations of it (elf$ 
 for could thefe motions be dulled by 
 Bodies., there would neither be (cope 
 for Divine Mercy, nor Juftice, in the 
 other World : But then it is, that the 
 Bodies of Men are prepared for the 
 greateft capacities of Pleafure or 
 Pain, Fine to take in every intimation 
 
 of 
 
€|je ©?eat Soul o( Sga m 3 1 5 
 
 of either, of freeft reception and 
 ftrength to endure, and bear, in a ftate 
 of immortality and incorruption to 
 lares which is the difference between 
 the.prelent ftate of Bodies, and the 
 future 5 for even an Excefs of Plea- 
 fure.here glut* and overcharges Bodi- 
 ly Nature i and oppreffes it $ from 
 pain and praffure it vaniQies, or is 
 ground to Powder by it : But this 
 immortal ftate of Bodies is filled with 
 Happinefs, Pleafure, and Delight, and 
 yet thofe Bodies not furcharged 5 and 
 full of Unhappinefs and Mifery, yet 
 they abide by it, flirink not from, but 
 rejoin themftlves to all they endure, 
 having put on immortality. 
 
 Now this Mifery and Unhappinefs 
 of the Body arifes firft from the guilt, 
 and confufion of the Soul, that falls 
 upon it 5 even as we fee the forrow of 
 the Mind here in the World, prints it 
 felf upon the outward Man 5 and the 
 fhame and fecret confufions of guilt, 
 of which the Mind is full , diffufe 
 themftlves upon the whole furface of 
 exterior Nature, and make the afpeft 
 mean and confounded : On the other 
 fide, the Peace, Righteoufnefs, and 
 fleavenly Joy of the Saints break out, 
 
 and 
 
43* 
 
 ;i 6 ttbe C?ca t Soul of ©an* 
 
 and illuftrate their Bodies y even a? 
 we fee now a chearful Heart makes a 
 Countenance full of Light, andlJi 
 good frame of Soul beautifies; tne 
 whole Man 3 A Mans Wifdont\nbtf 
 mak$s his Face to fhine^ and in Eter- 
 nity the clearnefs (hall not be only 
 doubled, but in endlefs degrees grow 
 brighter, even to the briglitnefs of the 
 
 Ma "' It Sun -> for fo the y fi^U Jlnne out in the 
 Kingdom of their Father. 
 
 2. The Bodies of Saints haveadi- 
 ftinft Happinefs and Glory, befides 
 that which flows from the Soul $ and 
 it is that by which Almighty Good- 
 nefs and Wifdom fits them to the ftate 
 of the Soul 3 a FaJInoning there is of 
 Bodies like to the Glorious Body of 
 Chrift, which returns with greateft 
 delight and (atisfaftion upon the Soul : 
 On the contrary, the Bodies of wick- 
 ed Men not accompliftied with that 
 Glory, but punifhed with a deformi- 
 ty, increafe the unhappinefs and tor- 
 ment of the Soul. We fee the Soul 
 now takes pleafure in the grace and 
 happy order of its Body, and is de- 
 jected by any thing loathfom, and to 
 be abhorred in it : This will be much 
 more in the unchangeable ftate 5 God 
 
 fo 
 
ttlje 6?eat ©oul of ®an* 3 " 7 
 
 fo difpofing, that the Soul and Body 
 lye clofer, and nearer one to another 5 
 and the pafles and reciprocations of 
 Good and Evil are much freer, and 
 more penetrating 5 and therefore Hea- 
 ven and Hell are (b often defcribed in 
 Scripture by things proper to Bodies, 
 becaufe they are moft fenfible to us 
 now $ and becaufe too the Happinefs 
 or Mifery ("though it be for the Souls 
 fake alone, originally and principally, 
 yet ) as far as the Nature of Body u- 
 nited to the Soul extends, do fully 
 and on every fide inclafp, and encom- 
 pafs Bodies, as well as Souls for Ever* 
 
 FINIS.