which being for Contrivance and Counsel as it were the Master-piece of Divine Skill in Matter God statedly beholds this singular Work of his own Hands when arrived at due Maturity with such a favourable Aspiration as is no less or but a little less than that which he vouchsafeth to the Inhabitants of the Intellectual World And as we see much what the same measure of strength as suppots a weight will serve to raise it so same the favourable Aspiration that upholds an Intellectual Creature in Being is of force sufficient to raise it into Being Therefore such Aspiration will give Being to a Conscious Life as preserves the Mental Natures of the Invisible World 2. But then this Aspiration being included in the Divine favourable intuition on what his hand hath curiously wrought in these lower parts of the Earth Psa 139.15 though it hath a Conscious Life for its effect yet it is not a separate Conscious Life but a Conscious Life enlivening that accurate frame of Matter now a conscious Life vitally United to a Humane Body is a rational Soul 3. And because this Soul doth result from the Divine Aspiration on a being framed by the course of Natural Causes in the material System of this World therefore it is not Properly Created nor yet Miraculous but Natural 4. Yet this Soul cannot be said to be therefore educed out of the powers of Matter because the Divine Aspiration is not of that kind which concurs with Corporeal Motions but such as is afforded to the Intellectual Natures though upon the approbation of this singular piece of Divine Workmanship in this World of Bodies 5. He that said of the Humane Soul Creatur infundendo or infunditur Creando spoke something this way but whether expresly enough needs not be inquired since the Scripture assures us that the Lord who Created the whole frame of this Visible World besides that does form the Spirit of Man within him That the Spirit in Man being by the Inspiration of the All-mighty Zech. 12.1 Job 32.8.27.3 Gen. 2.7 is Intellectual and the breath in our Nostrils our Spirit and Life is the Spirit of God which he Breathed into Mans Nostrils by which he became a living Soul So that if Brutes have Souls and they be educed out of the Powers of Matter yet the Soul of Man according to a course settled by God in Nature being a Conscious Life is by a Divine Aspiration correspondent to those of the Superiour World By which it appears Mans Nature participates both of this and the other World in its Constitution 6. Therefore the Son of God who is God being one Person with Man hath thereby a new alliance both to the Material and Intellectual World and a new Cognation both with the Coelestial and Terrestial Inhabitants and because the Union of God and Man in Christ is Mystical Cap. 10.8 therefore the whole Kingdom of God is put into a Mystical state and frame upon this new Cognation with all things in Heaven and Earth 7. And if according to the Opinion of some of the most celebrated Philosophers in this Age the motion of every part of Matter does really so diffuse it self that the whole System of Matter is affected thereby and if withal the parts that make up the Intellectual World have a correspondent Communion amongst themselves then by this Union of God and Man there is as it were a new Leaven which may be sufficient in Gods due time to Leaven the Mass of the whole Creation And Christs Resurrection is a Specimen of its efficacy and a ground of our expectation But should this prove only to be their Conjecture and not the Natural way of efficiency yet we are however sufficiently assured that the effect shall be produced and that in Christ all things in Heaven and Earth shall be recollected into one Eph. 1.10 Col. 1.17 18 19 20. 2 Thes 2.1 Acts. 3.21 and that there shall be a restitution of all things whereby they shall be restored into one blessed frame 8. The Mystical constitution of the Divine Kingdom being therefore for the restoration of the Natural Kingdom in a renewed integrity it is a form of Government which in its Nature and design is manifestly subordinate to the Original Government of the Divine Kingdom in its Primitive institution 9. If then the Supream Governour be the same yet as King of this Mystical Kingdom he is less than the King of the Natural Kingdom not in himself or Naturally but in the state of a Governour or Politically the Antients call it Oeconomically But in plain terms the sense stands thus God that humbleth himself when he inspects the things that are done in Heaven and in Earth however he undertakes the Government and Management of them does yet more humble himself when for the good of the Creation Psal 113.6 he governs the Universe in the Mystical constitution for the redintegrating of the Natural Kingdom into one blessed frame 10. Whereas then God in the first Subsistence of the Divine Nature that is God the Father is first in the Address as Lord of the Natural Kingdom so God even the same God in the second Subsistence of the Divine Nature that is God the Son is first in the Address as Lord of the Mystical Kingdom considered as Mystical and Subordinate because God manifest in the Flesh is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and the confessedly great Mystery of Godliness 11. Before the Mystery was made known therefore the stile Lord did more directly and more usually indigitate God the Father as we find in the old Testament but since the Mystery is to be acknowledged by all the Subjects of Gods Kingdom the Title of Lord doth more directly denote God the Son and is therefore in the new Testament most commonly attributed to Jesus Christ though they be both one Lord as well as one God 12. The Son therefore being Lord of the Divine Kingdom in its Mystical and Subordinate State in treating with his Subjects will have occasion to speak of himself as less than his Father in many of the affairs of the Mystical Kingdom and Government especially in and about the change of the Natural into the Mystical Frame though he be the same God Lord with the Father For God doth humble himself more in condescending to Govern the World in this State than in the first Natural Constitution of his Kingdom The Son therefore is less than the Father not only as Man but also as God Governing the Divine Kingdom in the Mystical State John 3.35 Mat. 11.27 Acts 2.32 Joh. 10.20 1 Cor. 11.3 John 6.38 1 Cor. 3.23 1 Cor. 15.27 Phil. 2.7 Zech. 3.8 Joh 17.5 Accordingly we read the Sons Power is given is received of the Father he receives command from the Father the head of Christ is God even the Father for he came not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him Christ is Gods who put all things
assured that we do perceive it and without this consciousness there could be no Reasoning But it is true this consciousness admits of no Argument for its Truth but is self-evident to us For as we are sure that we feel pain by no other means but by our feeling it self so we are assured of this consciousness by no other evidence but the Conscience it self Now every intelligent conscious Life is a Mind 8. Let Foreign objects be represented to the Sensorium by an intentional Species or by Effluviums or by Vibration Jog or Tumult as the Philosophers can agree it comes all to one in our present Inquiry for it is plain no one of these can import more than what is done by the Laws of matter from my Face to the Looking-Glass which yet is no cause of Intelligence in the Glass for that no wise doth thereby percieve the difference between the Existence and Non-existence of the Object this Perception therefore is the pure Agency of the Mind For though to judge aright of the Existence of things in the World we need such objective Notices by Species or Motion yet to perceive that the things either are or are not we need no objective Notice at all For the Mind in its Self perceives the diffirence betwixt Existence and Non-Existence is such that they are immediately opposite so that if the one be not the Case then the other is wherefore since our Mind in it Self doth thus conceive a diffirence betwixt being no being it is even in the Body such a conscious life that by its own Energetical Agency does Elicit Acts so purely Intellectual that they depend not on the Existence of any other thing in the World From hence it follows that though there was no other being Existent in the World besides the Mind it self only God by whom it is what it is yet the Mind would Live and Understand therefore according to the Condition of its Nature it will survive the Dissolution of any or every part of this visible World that shall be dissolved and consequently the frame of its own Body Every Mind therefore is naturally Immortal and Immortally Intelligent 9. That we have resentments whereby we are pleased or displeased do like or dislike is most certain to us by our own Conscience and need no farther proof Now a Mind endowed with such resentments is Spiritual But a Spiritual Mind perceiving a difference betwixt Desires and no Desires betwixt Aversions and no Aversions as also betwixt Existence and Non-existence of things clearly perceives that here is a variety of Objects to be liked or not liked to be disliked or not disliked Now since here is anoption propounded to an Intelligent Life that in its Consciâ—us Acts does Act without a dependence on any thing in this World it is left to its self to determine such an Option either way by its own vital Agency as it pleases which ever therefore the Mind pitches upon it chuses with an intire freedom but a free choice is the Agency of a free will therefore every Spiritual Mind animus is a voluntary Agent A Spirit therefore that we may define it is a Nature which by the Energetical Agency of its own Life doth Consciously understand and will 10. As therefore the Mind by vertue of its Essential Life survives immortal so by its Spirituality it is capable of being Pleased or Displeased in its separate State Therefore it will be Happy or Miserable as it is Pleased or Displeased with that Holy Will of God according to which all thingâ— are done in the Spiritual World which being an Eternal State and consequently immutable is not susceptive of Repentance 11. According to this account we may collect that such a Nature as hath no Life whereby it can commence an Action purely by its own Energy but does in all its acts depend upon the foreign Agency of other things I say such a Nature hath no Appetites but Acts upon other things by an Extrinsick force or pulsion If there be a Life but no Intellect discerning the difference betwixt Existence and Non-existence there may be an Appetite but no Liberty because in the Sphear of its Activity there lies but one course open for the Agency of its natural Power to Operates in but if there be an Appetite and an Intellect too then there will be a free choice so that every Conscious Appetite is a free Will and there is no free Will but in a Conscious Life In our Perception of the Coherence or In-coherence of these choices with one another is seated the Power of Reasoning in Theory and of Counsel in the Affairs of Life 12. I am here to advise that we shall not be concerned to enquire on this occasion whether there be Existent any proper Energy that is not Vital or any Life that is not Sensitive or any Sensitive Life that is not Intelligent or any Intellectal Life not endowed with Spirit No nor yet whether the Faculties of a Spirit do really or only nominally differ amongst themselves for as such things have been debated in the Schools so we may leave them there to be decided it being sufficient for my design that it is absolutely certain to us by the Dictates of Nature that there is Existent a Spirit which lives understands and wills for then it is certain whatever is Essential to any one of these Three is included in that Spiritual Nature and it is not any other Nature but this precisely that I am to account for 13. As then we are so well acquainted with the condition of matter that if the Divine Nature be material we can from thence infer that it hath length breadth and thickness so it appears we are so well acquainted with the Condition of a Spirit that if the Deity be Spiritual we can from thence infer God is a Being that lives understands and wills but whether the Divine Nature be either or neither of the two is yet to be inquired and in the mean time this however is certain That CHAP. III. The most high Being is Spiritual 1. GOD is the most high Being in the most ample significancy of the word Supream whereby we intend not only that he is so the most High that there is nothing above him for this is consistent with another Being as high as he is not barely that he is Superior to all Existent Beings for then there might have been though there is not another Being equal with him but first that his Being is such that it is above the possibility of any others being equal with him and that Secondly Not because it happened that there wanted something powerful enough to yield it self a Being equal with his but because the Supream Being is so the most High that it is a flat contradiction to the nature of substance that any other Being should be so high as he is or that even he himself might have happened to have been higher then he is We can conceive of a
Being higher than our selves yea and higher than any Being that is Finite but God never conceives of any Being Existent or Possible so high as himself nor yet that his own Being might have been higher than it is either of these being not to be conceived even by that Mind that adequately and positively conceives Infinity it self for this is the condition of a Being that is absolutely the most high 2. In perfect agreement with this dictate of Nature the Scripture makes the Title of the most High to be the usual incommunicable Psal 83.18 Deut. 4.17 Esay 40.25 44.6 8. and most august Characteristick of Majesty truly Divine This is signified by God's calling himself the Holy One and asking to whom we would liken him or should he be equal I am the first I am the last and besides Me there is no God is there a God besides Me Yea there is no God I know not any The like reason does teach of all those perfections which are included in his being the most High for they are all absolute and infinite If then there be no such most high Being there is no God either of a material spiritual or any other nature 3. Let us then proceed to enquire of what nature the most High Being is now because matter how far soever it lies extended is such a substance as may exist and yet not act at all therefore such a Nature may exist and lie exposed to the Agency of another Being now a Nature that may be obnoxious to the Agency of another is certainly not the most high Being that is possible therefore God is not matter and if matter it self in its utmost extent be not God much less can any part or modification of such a bulky substance be the supream Being therefore the material World which is nothing else but such stuff in different modifications of its parts cannot be the most high Being 4. Because local motion is nothing else but a passage whereby the parts of matter being divided does shift their position amongst them selves therefore local motion is not force for as much as shifting of place or position is not force though force may be required to make the change of place we find when we carry a stone forward in our hand that the passage of the stone hath no more force than our hand puts into it and our hand puts no more force into that passage of the stone than we will or than our will puts into our hands and yet we feel a force present in all moved matter Now since the whole mass of mâ—tter is of such a nature that it may exist and yet not Act at all therefore this force is not the substance of matter nor Essential nor Natural nor an inseparable Property but is contingent to it yea even to those parts of matter which have ever been in motion if any such there be 5. This force is contingent to matter whether it moves the matter by mere chance or by counsel for though there be an Essential difference betwixt chance and counsel yet that an Agent by counsel did chuse to move the matter is manifestly contingent to the material Nature 6. And because some have weakly imagin'd that matter may have been Eternally I observe that this force will no less be contingent to matter whether it happened to it in time or from Eternity for the bare difference of a Finite and Infinite duration makes no difference in the natural reason of things If two parallel lines were drawn out infinitum this would not alter their parallism but the same distance they have where I stand they keep though they reached through an infinite space so the same contingency which is between matter and the force that moves matter now must have been between them from all Eternity if matter had been moved from Eternity Matter is therefore such an un-active nature in it self that it could never have commenced any Action in its self had not such force happened to it either in time or Eternity therefore all the motion of matter which is now in the World is the effect of that adventitious force whencesoever that force happened to it 7. Because all motion is the effect of the adventitious force therefore neither the parts of matter nor their motion is the cause of the motion of other parts which a removed by their pressure but that contingent force which moved the first parts does move the others afterwards as this appears by experience so it is the foundation of all the Laws of local motion which are delivered to us by modern Naturalists 8. Since therefore this force is the cause of all the motion and the system of matter is framed into its fashion by motion whatever is the cause of the frame of the World is the Author of this force this force therefore is active in causing the motion of matter but is it self the efficacy of the agency of that active Being which is the Framer of the World if such a one there be 9. Let us then here suppose and afterwards prove what we do Believe that it is God the Supream Being whose agency by its efficacy did frame the World then this agency does not only act upon the surface or outsides of Bodies because then the efficacy of this agency upon the interior parts of such Bodies depends upon the impenetrability extrusion and other modes of the exterior parts of such moved Bodies Now no agency whose efficacy depends upon the condition of other Beings can be the agency of the Supream Being whose agency is and acts without dependance The divine agency acts therefore not as an effort by external pulsion but acting imminently in its self doth move matter locally 10. The mutual resistance in the internal parts of a Body as in the case of a bent-bow or spring though the inward parts shou'd be all affected with it is yet nevertheless no Agency at all but is the stopage of the passage of some subtile moved matter caused by the Obstructive configuration of the Parts in a rigid or solid Body Therefore the divine efficacy that moves matter Acting imminently in it self and intimately in all the Pores of moved matter is the cause of all reaction and Elastick renitency from the internal pressure in Bodies but seeing it does cause this by imminent Agency in it self therefore it is a pure Energy Now a pure Energy acting imminently in it self which though it moveth matter yet doth not locally move it self Chap. 2.4 is a vital Energy and such Agency is the Agency of Life and if we mark it we have in our selves experience of such an Agency in the motions whereby we execute those Actions which we call properly humane Therefore the force of the Supream Being moving all moved matter is the Efficacy of a vital Agency and consequently there is Life in the Supream Being if he be the Maker of the World 11. Yet is not this the Agency of a
he is nevertheless God for his being Man For it is plain such a one cannot deny the Divine Being of the Son but he must deny the Being of God the Father or deny any perfection to be in the Son but he must deny the same of the Father Therefore according to the reason of the Mystical Divine Kingdom and the Testimony of our Saviour This equal honouring of God the Father and the Son is the Moral and Religious form of all Christian Worship and Service Which proves that though the Doctrine of the Christian Trinity be speculative in the disquisition of it as even Justice and Temperance are yet it is such a speculation that without the attainment of that Faith in our Minds we can perform no Religious Duty truly Christian a Christian Life it self being nothing else but the Praxis upon the belief of the Kingdom of God as governed in the hand of Christ by the Mystical Trinity We are then to receive the institutions of Christ not as the Ordinances of a Moses a Mediatory Angel or a Vicegerent but as the Orders of a Lord in his own House Heb. 3.2 3 4. which is the whole Family of Heaven and Earth 5. Having pointed out the practical use of this Doctrine in general I need not descend to the particulars It s other uses are first the Political for the re-establishing the state of the Divine Kingdom by reconciling all things in Heaven and Earth so that the part that had made a revolt might upon satisfaction given be re-instated with the peace of God into the Blessed Society and all things in Heaven and Earth become one And 2dly the Spiritual for redintegration by physical or if you please supernatural efficiency quickning all things with such Divine Life as is requisite to the happiness of the Subjects of Gods Kingdom that are in his favour But I desire to be excused from medling with these because the Antitrinitarians generally now denying the Sacrifice of Christs death whereon the political force does depend and scarcely confessing the Resurrection of the Body which is the most conspicuous effect of the reâ—integrating vertue of the Divine Life in Christ I intend not to enter into any Dispute upâ—â— these Points yet if I might not displease them I would as a Frienâ— remind them that as I hope it does now competently appear 〈◊〉 their opposition against the Trinity is grounded upon a Metaphysâ—â— presumption of theirs wherein they take it for â—â—anted that thâ—â—â—pream Spirit must needs subsist only in one real Subsistence fo◠〈◊〉 Reason because it is impossible for Matter or any Created Spiriâ—â— have any more which now is found to be no reason at all 〈◊〉 doubt not but upon due examination they will find that their deâ—â— of Christ's Satisfaction is built upâ—â— a false System in Morality 〈◊〉 Politicks and their scruple about 〈◊〉 Resurrection upon an arbiâ—â—â—â—â— and insufficient Hypothesis in Physicks 6. But whatever they do since we have found that the Reason 〈◊〉 Nature of the Thing and the Testimony of the Scripture the Myâ—â—â—ry in the Incarnation of the Son of God God manifest in the Flâ—â—â— and the Obligation of our Vow in Baptism do all concur to conâ—â—â— us in the belief of the Blessed Trinity let us who have attaineâ— the acknowledgment of the Truth as it is in Jesus be sure to hold 〈◊〉 Mystery of the Faith in a pure Conscience and then we shall both â—â—ceive the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Love of God and Communion of the Holy Ghost and likewise give Glory to God Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost Three Persons God Holy Blessed and Eternal For his is the Kingdom Power and the Glory for Ever and Ever Amen FINIS