that have the Spirit And therefore Peter saith Having purified your Souls by the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 From all which places it appears very plainly that the perfect or true Man does not only consist of Soul and Body but also of the Spirit And for as much as the ungodly and Sinners do enjoy the two former Viz. Body and Soul as well as the Faithful and Believers and yet do not understand those things which are of the Spirit it follows that they must needs want that by which Spiritual things are alone to be discerned now that which discerns Spiritual things is the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 15. § 40. It is true that often times the perfect man is in the Holy Scripture described by two Beings to wit the Spirit and the Flesh as this Apostle speaks at large Rom. 8. of them that walk after the spirit and not after the Flesh and describes the regenerate as those which walk after the spirit and mortify the Flesh and the Ungodly as walking after the flesh and as not having the Spirit And Gal. 5.7 he saith that he has the flesh and the Spirit and that these two do War against each other for the flesh saith he lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other by reason of which conflict which the Apostle felt in himself he complained Rom 7. that after the inward Man that is after the Law of his mind or after the Spirit he delighteth in the Law of God but that the Law in his Members that is to say the Flesh warreth against the Law of God And there are many other such like places in the Holy Scripture which do oppose the Flesh to the Spirit but in these and the like places the scope is not so much to teach us how many parts there are in a perfect Man as to shew us that Man who is not yet perfectly born again has a Warfare against his Flesh that is against his unregenerate part But no man can be so foolish as to think that when it is here said that the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit that we must thereby understand only the Flesh or Body but that under the Term Flesh is to be understood that part of Man that is called the Soul which desireth and thinkerh and lusteth and it is notorious that this is usual in the Holy Scripture by the word Flesh also to understand the Soul from hence because when the Holy Scripture opposes the new birth unto Sin it uses the Terms Spirit and Flesh as was just now shewed But it does not only oppose the Spirit to the Flesh but also the Spirit to the Soul or to the Soullish part as we but just now shewed in 1 Cor. 2. James 3. c. From whence then it evidently appears that the fleshly part is included in the Soullish part and that by the fleshly part is meant the Soullish part And that the Soul has fellowship with the Body and does continually co-operate with it we will shew in the next Chapter where we shall particularly Treat of the Soul § 41. But here some body will perhaps say that the Holy Scriptures makes mention of more than three parts of Man as of the Spirit of the Mind of the Heart the Soul and the Body The Hebrews call the three parts of man chiefly by the names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruach the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nephesh the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neshamah the Breath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adamah that out of which the Body is made As to the Neshamah this is properly no part of Man but it is that from whence the Soul proceeded as shall be shewed in that Chapter where we shall expresly treat of the Soul for which cause Neshamah is sometimes used for Nephesh the Soul as is to be seen in Isaiah 57.16 In the New Testament we meet with three Parts of Man more especially under these Denominations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pneuma the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psychce the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phreen the Vnderstanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nous the Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kardia the Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarx the Flesh But what part is to be understood by these Terms we must learn from the Circumstances of the places themselves where we meet with them as for Example the Vndestanding belongs to the Soul which is common to all Men for whether a Man has a good or bad understanding however it ceases not to be the understanding in like manner the Soul is meant by the heart because the Heart is the Seat of the Soul and therefore our Saviour saith Mat. 15.18 19. Those things that proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart they defile for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts c. So that for the most part I say not always for sometimes the heart is also used for the Spirit as well as for the Soul because it is the receptacle and habitation of both but for the most part I say by the Vnderstanding and the Heart is meant the Soul CHAP. III. Of the Image of God or the Spirit § 42. SEing it is easie to be understood from the precedent Chapter that a perfect Man consists in these three to wit Spirit Soul and Body we are here especially to consider what the Spirit or the Image of God is and the properties thereof as also the necessity of the Sinners being restored to his former State § 43. Every body knows that when an Image Picture or likeness of a Man is made that it must resemble him after whom it is made because if it have no resemblance of him whom it represents it could not be called his Image Picture or likeness § 44. Seing then that Man is made after Gods Image man must needs bear the Image or Likeness of God § 45. Now this Image which Man has of God cannot be or consist in the outward Shape of his Body but in his Spirit because God is a Spirit and has no bodily or outward shape form or figure at all as is shewed already § 12. § 46. But because we Sinners have lost it and so cannot as Adam know what manner of Being the Being of God is by contemplating the Image of God which was in him it is needful that we first enquire at the Holy Scriptures how the Divine Being is there described that so from the Divine Being we may learn what the Image or Likeness of God must needs be § 47. The Holy Scripture then describes the Being of God not only to be a Spirit but also shews what manner of Spirit it is to wit that God is a Light and Fire Micah 7.8 The Lord shall be a Light unto me And 1 Iohn 1.5 it is in express words said that God is a Light in whom there is no Darkness at all to wit in opposition to the
by men and altho' he finds it otherwise in the Holy Scriptures These and diverse other things are sufficient Proofs that those times are not yet fulfilled of which Jeremy speaks Chapter 31. V. 33.34 I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord c. But when we shall once arrive at those blessed days then shall that cumber of Councils Synods and Assemblies be at an end and vanish and Christ alone shall Rule by his Spirit and Lording it over Christs flock and force upon Conscience and such like Trash shall no more be mentioned among us but on the Contrary Love shall increase and spiritual things be familiar and commonly known unto us Now as to the Mondern Philosophy I have experienced it to be only conversant about things visible and palpable to teach nothing at all of that which is essential or of the Nature and Origine of things For when at any time we endeavoured to reduce it to use thereby to dissect and know natural things and to attain the knowledge of Man and his Diseases for Medicine belongs to Philosophy and the knowledge of Nature and Philosophy if true includes the knowledge of Medicine I always found it void of Truth and that it could not give me the knowledge of Distempers nor the Causes of them which Experience made me see that the Modern corpuscular Philosophy is nothing else but a heap of Words I leave in the mean while others to think and speak what they please to the contrary but of this I am assured that it neither does nor can give any man Wisdom either in things Divine or Natural But makes man so altogether Corporeal that he knows nothing of the Spiritual and I would fain see any man that thinks otherwise of it to give some evidence to the contrary and to shew how it is possible that Bodies should operate without their Life or Spirit and how they can every way be applyed to man and his Operations and so long as no man does this as it is impossible upon their Principles to do it I deem them ignorant of those Principles that give occasion for the explaining and understanding of things both Divine and Natural from one and the same ground These above mentioned difficulties caused me then to look about for otherways and to enquire if there were no mediums to be found that might give occasion to discover the consonancy betwixt things Divine and Natural Along time had I enquired with uncertainty enough after it yea so far I was come as to esteem all things in Philosophy uncertain But then I found the Truth of that saying that when we are at the greatest loss in our selves then the means of our Deliverance are nearest at hand when I began to be acquainted and to have familiar Conversation with the Right Honourable the Baron F. M. Van Helmont c. a Gentleman whose worth I am not capable of describing and to whom it would be a lessening for me so very far below his Honourable state and Dignity to attempt to sound forth his praise the Emperour and Roman Empire having done it already not by Word of Mouth but by Writing Only this I shall say that he has been to me an Example not only in Doctrine but also in life and whose actions I have found to agree with his Words a thing that in these times can with truth be said of few This Gentleman then brought often forth things both in Theology and Philosophy which I had never before heard yea which seem'd very strange unto me and that so much the more because I heard it by piece meals now one piece and then another which I knew not how to joyn together But as all knowledge and Wisdom in its first beginning seems difficult and wonderful because we have been prepossest with other Principles Therfore I began to think whether the cause of my blindness and inability to understand proceeded not rather from the prejudices I had suckt in than from what his Honour said And so resolving with my self neither to approve nor contradict his sentiments but to examine them whether there were no contradiction in them or whether they could all be derived from one Principle Wherefore I began to note some things upon Paper it is true and I must confess it that the things seemed mighty intricate and troublesome to me to apprehend at the first but when I found but any thing that gave me any occasion to understand things I stuck at no pains so that it did not discourage nor was it tedious to me at all to imploy a whole Years time to comprehend the thoughts of this Gentleman upon Man and his Diseases and so deduce them to Writing that one thing necessarily follow'd upon the other While I had then this entercours with his Honour concerning natural things it oft times happened that Scriptural Truths and Theologick did occur which were altogether as strange to me and quite out of the common Road as the Philosophick But because I have now found that his Honours Thoughts both in Theology and Philosophy do hang very well together and are Truth I judge it no less my duty the rather because Theology is a thing that concerns every one and in which no man ought to rely upon the saying of another but every one ought to be a Theologue for himself and to search after Divine Wisdom I say I therefore judged it no less my Duty to examine whether his Honours thoughts in Theology could be derived from the same Principle of Philosophy whereunto I found no readier way than first to lay aside all Prejudices and in the fear of God to examine what manner of Being and Operation the Divine Being and its Operation must needs be if we will so unite the Attributes of God so that the one does not run counter to the other and that nothing should follow upon the one Attribute which would contradict the other and this Harmony I found in his thoughts and I thank God that opened my Eyes to see it And I must confesss that I then found that this Gentlemans thoughts did not contradict the Attributes of God so united but were a Consequent thereof For which reason I follow Divinity by this thred to see what truth will thereby be discovered This I can at present say at least that I have now found the Great Wisdom of the Creator about the first Man Yea I have with full assurance learned what it is that reconciles the sinner to God again who must needs be that Reconciler and on what ways the sinner obtains Communion and Fellowship with that Reconciler I now affirm Knowing and being assured by the Grace of God that Theology and Philosophy is one and the same thing But what Verily not that which stands
of its being cannot be like unto him that is he cannot be as he is a Creature because no Creature has the least power of producing any thing nor yet so much as of Conserving it self for one Moment as in § 4.5 6. so that the Original or Cause of the Creatures can be no Creature but must be that being which is from all Eternity which subsists of it self and to whom all things are present § 17. Seing then that God is thus Omniscient that all things ae continually present with him and so present that they are dependent of him and that he is the Cause or Original of all things it necessarily follows that this perfect Being has also this Power that he can so produce all things that what he produceth shall be able to accomplish the end to which their maker has appointed them Because he of whom all things are dependant and who is the sole Cause of all things cannot be so hindred by any thing that what he has produced should not effect that which is according to his aim and will which power of producing all things is truly enough said to be Omnipotent Not that the word Omnipotent does signifie a power to do all things both good and evil in no wise For seing there is no defect in God it cannot be that the most perfect Being should produce or work out any thing that should not have all the parts requisit to its appointed out-working but if his work should be so defectively produced it would be evil with respect to God who is the Work-master or the Maker thereof but this cannot in any wise be in a perfect Being § 18. And as this Being is so Powerful that it produces all things with those Faculties that render them capable of Effecting that whereunto they are ordained and appointed so it is also not only Good in or with respect to its self which Goodness in that respect is nothing else but its own Perfection of which we have spoken § 11. but it must needs also be good in the highest degree with respect to the Creatures because all the Good which is required to their Well-being they must receive from him as not being able to subsist out of him § 19. And this Perfection in the Divine Being being demonstrated in § 11. it follows that it cannot be without Operation because if it were not Operative it would if self want that which is common to every Creature for there is no Creature how mean soever it be that is without its Operation Now if the most perfect Being should want that which is even Natural to all the Creatures it would in that respect be more deficient then the Creatures themselves nor would possibly have all those Perfections that are necessary to a perfect Being § 20. Again this being is not only operative but it must needs have been always on Continually Operative because if it be not always Operative there would then be a cessation in this being either from all Operation or but in part Whether now we say that this Cessation be total or but partial it asserts a change and that infers a defect or imperfection as is more at large proved in § 10. And seing according to § 10. and 11. God is neither Mutable in his Being nor in his Working but is in every respect present it follows that God must always have been Operative or Working § 21. And seing the Immutability of this Being is proved § 10. and its Perfection in § 11 it follows that it is not only always Operative but also that it must always Operate or work the same thing That is that God does not only never cease to work but also that he does not change his Working because if God did not always work the same thing it must be either that he might make his Work better or worse But this Being makes its work neither better nor worse Because whatsoever it works must be agreeable with its own Attributes seing therefore that it is unchangeably perfect according to § 10. and 11. it must necessarily have also that Perfection that it works always wifely and with understanding yea with such understanding that there can be neither too much nor too little in its Works and consequently that it produceth its Works neither better nor worse or else there would be a defect in the Nature of this Being and consequently it would neither be immutable nor perfect the contrary of which has been proved And because there is no time in God that is because his Being cannot be limited by any time according to § 13. but that it is perpetual therefore the Attributes that flow from his Divine Being cannot be temporal or subject to time Because we can no sooner speak of a Being but we must needs include all the essential Attributes thereof for if you take from a Being its Attributes it is no more the same thing that it was before and seing in § 18. it is proved that Operation or to Work is natural to the Divine Being it follows that because God is every way unchangeable that his Working must also be so and that it can never cease to be the same Moreover if God did not always work the same thing but did work something new the essential of which was not before then God could not be present to all things because that which did but now begin first to be or to receive Being cannot be said to be present before its being And for as much as it is proved § 14. that all things are present with God God cannot at this time work out or produce any other Beings but those which were continually present to him and consequently because all things are always present to God God must needs alwayes work the same and no new thing And seing Gods Omnisiciency does include that he hath the essential of all things in him according to § 15. therefore God cannot work any new thing that is which is essentially so and which God is not always working because if God did work out or produce any thing that is new he could not be said to be Omniscient of which we have spoke more at large § 15. From all which if follows that God must needs be always working the same thing If any one will here alledge that it does not follow that the Divine-Being does always word the same thing because this Being does all things freely and without constraint and consequently can either cease from his former Work or begin a new Work be shall find that he makes the will of God to contradict his immutability which cannot consist with the nature of the most perfect Being But because this Objection arises from ignorance of the Nature of the free will of God therefore we shall make answer to it when we come to Treat of the Freedom of the Will of God to wit in the next 22. § It will again perhaps be said tho' that God always
and add more numbers to it In like manner suppose any man draws a Line from a point that Line cannot be endless because he can always in his thoughts add unto the length So that no man can imagine an endless line but on the contrary that as it had a beginning so it shall also have an end If any man yet says that he can conceive a Line that can be extended in infinitum he says but the same thing over again in the same words or all that he would say is that he can conceive a line the end of which he knows not for he that says that he can conceive a Line that may be in finitely extended must have an Idea of it or comprehend it in himself Now this is most certain that no man can frame in himself an Idea of Infinity and consequently that he cannot conceive a Line infinitly extended and if he understands by a Line that can be infinitely extended only a Line of whose end he is ignorant it follows not at all that therefore this line is infinit but only that he knows not where the end of it is and therefore this Objection totally evanishes § 26. But it will be said perhaps you assert that all Beings are endless that is That they have always been in God without beginning and yet you say that they were produced by God Now all that is brought forth presupposes a beginning therefore this your saying implyes a contradiction It is true that the word produce is generally used for to cause something to come forth which was not before but if we consider it aright we shall naturally find that the word produce cannot signify to cause a thing now to come to view which was not before in Being for with respect to God we have proved § 14. that all things must needs have been essentially in God without beginning and if they understand it with respect to the Creatures they the Creatures cannot produce any thing new which has not essentially been before So that according to the common use the word Produce cannot signify any thing else but this that these things that before were invisible and not knowable do now become visible and discernable But to give them full measure suppose that the Word Produce did necessarily presuppose a beginning of that which is produced who shall furnish me with a Word that signifies God to be the Author of all things and yet that the Beings of all things have been in God without all beginning for that is my meaning by the word Produce as every one can perceive by the Circumstances in this case we want Words to express it well by because our understanding only conceives that of which we can have an Idea in our Selves and so far we can find Words that signify the propertys of things but because our understanding can frame no Idea of any thing that is infinit therefore also do we want words truly to define that of which we have no true Notion And therefore can we only trace that which necessarily flows from the Being of God and describe it defectively according to our deficient understanding But he that will consider it and examine it well will find that what we say is true and will understand more of it than he shall be able to express But it will yet be said that that which has no beginning cannot be said to be produced but must be or subsist of it self But this is no necessary consequence that because a thing has no beginning that it must therefore exist of it self for not to have beginning and to exist of it self do not necessarily infer each other but that a thing exists of it self necessarily infers indeed that that thing has no beginning according to § 8. but not so that what has no beginning does therefore exist of it self as is proved § 24. § 27. And when by § 22. it is proved that all Beings which are in God are continually upheld of God it follows then not only that this continual upholding but also the Creating or Work of Creation is to be numbred among the Works of God because it is beyond the power of any Creature to Create according to § 1.2 3 4 5. But to know what is properly the Work of Creation we must examine what the word to Create does betoken It is manifest from § 24. that what is essential in all things was in God without beginning so that by word Create cannot be understood that God should bring forth new Beings which were not in God without beginning nor can the Word Create signify to produce something out of nothing because to bring forth something out of nothing presupposes something the essential of which should not have been in God before the Creation but the contrary of this is proved § 23.24 Besides to say that something is produced of nothing would infer that the cause of the thing produced was a meer Nothing For to say that the Creation was produced out of Nothing viz. that there was no Matter before the Creation out of which the World was produced or brought forth infers not that the World was from nothing Because the World may be produced out of the Spiritual and invisible and not out of a palpable Matter Besides it is a known Truth that the beginning of all things is the Cause thereof and seing they that say that the World was Created out of nothing do assert God to be the Cause or Creator of the World therefore do they also thereby contradict themselves to with in that they allow a Cause and Beginning of the Creation and yet deny it to have a beginning of which also see the Observations of B. Van Helmont Concerning Man c. § 5.6 Whence therefore follows that the word Create betokens the bringing forth or production of something out of the invisible into open view to be seen and perceived And this is the Language of the Holy Scripture For Heb. 11.3 it is said We understand by faith that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear But it s better rendered thus so that the things which are seen were made of the things which are not seen which things that are not seen saith Peter 2 Peter 3.5 are the Waters where he saith that the Heavens were of old and the Earth subsisting and standing out of the waters and in the Water to wit out of the Heavenly Coelestial Waters For these are invisible so that the Waters here below must needs have had their rise from the invisible Waters above Of which is largely Treated in the Considerations of B. Van Helmont upon Man c. § 7.8 c. and 20. wherefore the Beings of all things which lay hid in that Spiritual Water became through the Spirit Visible in the Creation viz. in their Out-working For the word Create do's not only signify the production
and because Darkness may be made Light and Light Darkness This we are taught Gen. 1.2 where there was nothing but Darkness and V. 3. The Light was first brought forth viz. out of the Darkness for V. 4. God Separates the Light from the Darkness To which the Apostle Alledging saith 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness Forasmuch therefore as the Light proceeds from the Darkness and can lye hid in the same consequently they must partake with one another and be ally'd together or derived from one Original For otherwise the Light could never be turn'd to Darkness as Matt. 6.23 If then the Light that is in thee be Darknese And Luke 11.35 Take heed therefore that the Light which is in thee be not Darkness And on the contrary neither would the Darkness ever become Light which yet is positively asserted Eph. 5.8 For ye were sometimes Darkness but now are ye Light Neither would a Darkned Understanding ever be capable of being enlightned which yet is asserted Eph. 3.18 Both these Objections are also answered in my Observations concerning Man § 31.32 And therefore I shall no further enlarge upon them here § 110. We shall only by the way take notice here that if any one from the Existence of thefe two contrary Principles whereof all Creatures subsist shall conclude that there must be two Gods one Good and the other Evil it will be a sign that he hath not considered that the Light may be made Darkness and the Darkness Light as is shewed in § 109. And consequently that these two Principles do not suppose two Gods but one only because they are ally'd together and consequently proceed both of them from one God For if these Principles were not brought forth by one God but the Effects of two several Deities then it would be true that these Principles proceeding from two different Causes could not have any Communion or be united with one another But seing these Principles are United this shews that they proceed from one God § 111. Hitherto we have shewed that all Creatures consist of these two Spiritual Essences and that these two different Beings consist of many Spirits But because our Aime is to shew how or in what state Man was Created by God we are to enquire what kind of Body it was that God Created for Adam § 112. We have shewed in the 2d and 3d. Chapters that Man had in himself the Divine Light viz. The Image of God which did Illuminate his Soul and Body Neither had he only the Image of God in him but he had also a Soul given him of which we have Treated Chap. 4th And besides these two God formed Man a Body out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adamah Gen. 2.7 which doth not merely signifie Earth or Red Earth as now a days is supposed but the Blood of the Earth For why do our Modern Interpreters say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Red Earth but because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies Blood and Blood is Red. But what wisdom is there coucht in this that Adams Body was formed out of Red Earth For my part I know not what they can make of this But we shall find a fund of Wisdom in this word if we Translate it the Blood of the Earth For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blood signifies the Life or the Spiritual part of the Body as is evident from those places of Scripture that expresly tell us that Blood signifies the Life or Soul Gen. 9.4 But Flesh with its Soul that is its Blood c. and Deut. 12.23 Be sure that thou eat not the Blood for the Blood is the Soul Whence we are taught that Adams Body being formed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it did consist of the Spiritual and Soulish part of the Earth as before hath been shewed that the Corporeal is brought forth from that which is Spiritual § 113. But it is not sufficient for us to know of what the Humane Body was formed but we must further enquire why God gave Man a Body § 114. In order therefore to our knowing why God hath given Adam a Body we must first of all enquire why Man was Created by God To which commonly is answered that Man was Created to Glorifie God and to publish his Virtues and Praise with other such like which expressions do contain a Truth if we understand what is required to the Glorifying of God But that we may not from these Expressions conceive any Humane thoughts of God as if he were delighted as Men are with hearing himself praised Let us enquire into the Bottom of what these words import and that by putting this Query whether a man when he Glorifies God be not operative To which the answer must be affirmative because the least Action or Thought is an Operation If therefore the Glorifying of God be a working the next thing we are to enquire is wherein this Working consists This Operation of Glorifying God and Magnifying of his name doth not consist in this that God thereby receives more Prefection or a greater degree of Worthiness and that from his Creature for as much as God is every way perfect yea that Being from whom and through whom all things are brought forth and are still daily maintained so that God can have no more perfection or worthiness now than he hath ever had for as much as to that which is perfect in all respects nothing more can be added What then is this Work or Operation of Man whereby he Glorifies God and wherein doth it Consist Mans Glorifying of God consists in this that he performs that which God hath Commanded him which Command is exprest Gen. 1.28 And God said unto them be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it and have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the Heaven and over every living thing that creepeth upon the Earth So that we see God commands Man to be fruitful and this Fruitfulness consists in Multiplying which Expressions are Repeated V. 22. Man was also commanded to Replenish or fill the Earth that is he should exalt the Earth to that perfection to which it was to be brought and advanced viz. to be made Spiritual and Glorious And that this is the sence of these words appears from hence that man hath an Earthly Body which is maintained from the Earth for Man continually Eats and is nourished with that which is Earthly which Earthly Body and Food hath been given him to the end he might make it Heavenly and Spiritual as is abundantly shewed 1 Cor. 15. and V. 54. it is said that the Sinners Mortal Body shall be made Immortal and incorruptible c. Yea the whole Duty of Man towards his God Consists in this that he make the Earthly or Dark and Watry Essence whereof his Body Originally consists according to § 98. Light and Glorious and by this means approach near to the Divine and
Nerves of Motion and thence through the Nerves are conveighed to the Right hand which may be accounted the Male Hand which hath five Fingers and also the like to the left or Female Hand to Work out all which together make ten and if we add to the former this other further Consideration viz. That the same may be said of the two Feet whose ten Toes added to the Hands ten Fingers make up twenty which hereafter is proved to be the compleat Working out of a Man he then becoming Ripe to bear Fruits or to beget and bring forth Children so as his Feet correspond to the Rootes and his Hands to the Branches And therefore hath no more then ten Fingers wherewith to effect and Work out their ten Properties or Powers as it appears in a Woman big with Child who upon some Fright or put into any other Passion doth there form on that very part of her Childs Body some strange live Impression of some external thing by an effective application of her own hand upon that very part of her own Body And forasmuch as man consisteth of ten Powers or Faculties therefore also ten Commandments have been given to him to observe according to that in Eccles ch 12. v. 13. Let us hear the Conclusion of the Matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Man This very Text of Holy Scripture the Jews do make to be the Summary or chief Head of their whole Talmud Quest 16. How may this be further explained Answ Thus viz. Children must remain in the Womb of their Mothers for to attain or get by the influence or Government of the Moon over the Monthly Courses a perfect Body in the space of ten Lunary Months which consists of 40 Weeks And seeing that Man is made of the ten Lunary Operations That is the reason why when a Man doth Govern himself perversely and to his utmost power doth tye himself too much to his own Will and Fancy he becomes Lunatick or Mad and is then wholly under the Governing Rule of the Moon Quest 17. If the Terme of Mans life was appointed to be a thousand Years how then comes it to pass that Adam lived but 930. Years Answ The reason was because of his Fall or Sin And it became manifested in Cain why Adam finished not his thousand Years Seventy of them being wanting which number Seventy consists of ten times seven which was that vengeance that should be taken on any one that should kill Cain Quest 18. Why had Adam by his wife two Sons at one Birth neither more nor less as Gen. 4.1 2. doth shew Answ The reason seems to be this because Adam had been in two different States Conditions or Beings before that he knew Eve The one was antecedent to his Fall the other was after it For which reason she was to conceive Twins he knowing of her but once as appears by the Text whereof in the order of Nature the eldest must be born last and the first Born last conceived which is confirmed and made plain in that of Gen. 38. v. 27 28 29 30. Both in the Words and Action of Tamars Midwife and the red Threed used by her as it is there mentioned at large Quest 19. Why was Adam 130 Years of Age when he knew his Wife a second time and she brought forth Seth as it is in Gen. 4.25 and Ch. 5. v. 3. Answ May not this be supposed to be the Reason Because this was the full time of Cains being Seven-fold avenged by Lamech who had slain him so that then he was not longer the keeper of his Brother Abel when Lamech with great earnestness declared to his Wives The Revolution of Humane Souls saying Gen. 4. v. 23. Hear my Voice ye Wives of Lamech for I have slain a man to wounding and a Young man by Sodomy if the place in the Original be truly Interpreted Also this Number of 7. may be taken in the manner as were the 20 Years in which the Young men were appointed to serve in the Temple as it is in Chron. 23. v. 24 27. to the end Also in the manner of those who were to go out to War as in Num. Ch. 1. v. 3 18 20 22 24. c. To which if we allow to add about one Year and a half after they were married for the bringing forth of Children we shall find that the Number of 6 times 21 Years and a half will make 129 Years and then if we further allow one year more to Adam who was Created a perfect man and who had therefore no need to stay till he was twenty Years of Age before he begat Children Adams Years will be found to amount to 130. in which Cain was 7 times avenged that is he passed through 7 such Lives each containing 21 ½ Years And as the 130 Years of Adam make up the time of Cains Vengeance So the Number of Lamechs Vengeance viz. 77 times 21 ½ of Years will have for their Product the time from Adam to the Flood viz. 1656. with a small allowance of half a Year only Quest 20. Must not all men as to their peculiar individualities receives and keep their whole and perfect Essence and a continual descending flux of Generation from Adam and Eve as being parts of them Answ Yes for otherwise could those parts be taken away lost and Annihilated there would be remaing not so much as one single Man Quest 21. Whether in the first Man Adam were all men Created and comprehended in an infinite Number Answ No This could not be so for many reasons which might be given but let this one serve viz. Because had it been so then the World could never have come to an end in its out-working and Adam would have been an unchangeable Being which could never have died Quest 22. Whether all those men whom we find are born with one or more defects either in Body Mind or Both were so Created at first in Adam Answ No this cannot be admitted because if it were so Men could not be the cause of their own defects but the Creator should have been the cause of them which to suppose is altogether absurd and impossible Because he is all good Wise and just and could not be the cause of these the Defects of men viz. To make them to be Fools Blind Deaf Sickly Lame Criples Churlish Cruel and ill natured to be Monsters and Abortives c. which have a true and right beginning but are never brought to perfection Quest 23. Whether all men who were Created in Adam had not given them to have knowledge and free-will viz. To do that which is good and to forbear that which is Evil Answ This also cannot be denied by any rational man for many Reason needless to be recounted here Quest 24. Whether Adam and his posterity were not to live and abide so long till they had by Generation propagated and produced all those who were Created in him