that carries her towards God in general If she be not preoccupy'd â—nd transported with some Passions or other but the â—oul can by no means be the formal or physical Cause of the heat which is in our Bodies for it is impossible to conceive that a Spirit should produce heat yet â—y their Virtue and Operation they make the Body move by Empire and by Will and yet this the Soul is â—aid to do out of it self but whatsoever is done in us Physically is done by the act of our Body and its Life for there is in us a material principle of vegetaâ—ion or a vegetative Life which the Soul doth not â—ause so there is likewise a certain kind of acts of â—eeing of Hearing of Tasting of Smelling of â—ouching of Self-moving or of Sensibility in the â—ody in which the Soul hath not any part to which â—â—e doth not Influence any thing and to which she â—ath not so much as a Sentiment 3. To think and know is the Life of Spirits who â—eceives Being from the first of Beings or the prinâ—â—ple of Beings the Great Almighty from whom â—â—ery thing that is receiveth without ceasing its â—eing by a perpetual and never interrupted Communiâ—n of the Supreame Essence by reason that he is the â—rinciple of Life or the Essential and Original of â—ife It must needs be that every thing that Lives â—eceives continually a Life from him by a like Inâ—â—uence and by a like Communication of Life and by â—onsequence every thing that thinks and knows â—hinks and knows by him since to think and know the Life of Spirits This is the solid Metaphysick â—f St. Augustin and the Theology of others who â—ith agreeeble to the Scriptures that an Angel and Man differ without doubt for an Angel is a Spirit â—hich God makes tryal off out of the Body and â—hose Thoughts and Affections he hath not subjected to the dispositions of a Body and a Man is a Spiritâ— which God makes tryal off in the Body to which he subjects it before he Crowns it with Eternity But the Soul of Man if God had not disposed of it after that manner would have had no need of a Body wherefore the Union of Souls with Bodies is a hard and difficult Empire which God doth exercise over them and which if his Majesty would not sweeten the rigoâ—â— and difficulty of it by the Pleasures of agreeable Sentiments which he hath annexed to the Acts and Operations of Souls in Bodies It could not be a tryal but a Misery nay the Fathers maintain that if God should not Spiritualize Bodies that is to say take away from Souls the dependance which their present State gives them upon Bodies they could not have so firm a hope of being raised again as now they have because he would not put the Just Souls whose approved Fidelity deserves to be Crowned into Bodies that should constrain them and which enslaved their Thoughts which is what Spiritualized Bodies cannot bear because Spiritualization of Bodies will consist in this precisely that they should no longer exercise an Empire over the Souls and that they should be no longer a Charge an Obstacle and an Incumbrance to them for the Body cannot in any manner act upon the Soul so as to Illuminate it or Affect it Physically or Immediately by it self for the Body cannot subject the Soul to be United to it nor can the Soul be willing to submit to the Body which humbleth and constraineth it It is therefore God the Author of universal Nature that is the Immediate and Efficient Principle and Cause of the Union of Souls and Bodies for his Wisdom acteth as universal Cause in the whole frame of Nature 't is evident then that none but God alone can give the Soul the Sentiments and Ideas which she hath from the occasion of the Impressions which are made upon the Body for 't is the Author of Nature which enlightens us by the Ideas which we receive upon the occasion of the Impression of exterior Objects and who affectionates to the Conversation of the Body by the agreeable or disagreeable Sentiments which he gives us to make us know by way of instinct that which is profitable or hurtful for the Converâ—ation of our Bodies and of Humane Species This action he joyns to that by which he moves our Bodies when our Thoughts and Wills require it and is properly the action by the which he Unites our Bodies to our Souls and our Souls to our Bodies This is the active or actual Union which the Schools call the Unitive action of God which is joyned to the Immutable Decree and Will by the which he hath determined to continue it so long as the structure of the Body shall subsist and makes in the Soul and in the Body that Estate of Union which is called Passive and Formal Union and this the Almighty doth by the Essential act of his Supreame Nature for his Essence and Nature is infinitly pleased to act thus continually esteeming it his Pleasure and his Glory by which also he is the occasional Cause of all the Eneffable Pleâ—sure of Holy Souls and so much the rather because the Analogy of the Divine conduct Inspires us to acknowledges an occasional Cause of all our Joy and Fâ—â—icity As there is an occasional Cause of the Torments of the Reprobates for each of these he is pleased to make tryal off in the Body by their Obedience or Disobedience annext to each of which is Felicity or Misery for these shall go into Life Eternal but the Wicked into endless burnings 4 Our Body is a Structure full of Harmony whereby all the Parts are United to one common Center which is the Brain wrapt up in Membranes and distributed and divided into divers Compartments proper to receive and retain the Traces and Impressions which the Divine Image shall inâ—amp upon it We say also that the Soul is â—â—n the Body but we take care not to conceive it For all that as truly and properly contain'd in the Body it is United to the Body but we may not conceive her as poured into and mingled with the Body or as adjusted to its extent by a co-extention and immediation of Greatness of Figure or of Substance but they have the greatest part of their Thoughts and of their Ideas and of all their Sentiments of Pleasure and of Pain by the occasion of their Body because they act upon the Body by the action of the Will which removes them and moves them in the manner as have been already said The Learned say that they are no otherways in the Body therefore every thing we conceive beyond this will be false contradictory and extreamly dubious That which we call good Sense and Judgment is nothing but the Power and Faculty which the Soul hath to Order and Regulate our Thoughts to suspend and stay them that she may consider and maintain their Connexion and Dependence But she is said sometimes to loose this Faculty
from the dismal Thoughts that 't is impossible to acquire the good so much wished for for we should not be afflicted penetrated and overwhelm'd with the Privation of good if we did not Love it which made St. Augustin say That the Eternal Dispair of the Reprobates in Hell is a true Love of the Sovereign good but this being a nicity that concerns us not we may not with saifty dive into it or amuse our selves about it but strive to be Cloathed with the true Love of God whereby we are sure we may be qualified to enjoy the full Bliss of Heaven the true hopes of which fills every Holy Soul with exceeding Joy even such reviving Joy as may give him some small glimmerings even in this Life of what hereafter will undoubtedly be his Portion in those Glorious Regions above where every true Penitent will be a Favorite of that great tremendious King who is the searcher of every Heart and observer of every Action here and the Infinite rewarder of every Virtue hereafter To him therefore be Glory and Praise Might Majesty and Dominion ascribed by us â—nd all the whole Creation now and for ever A Recapitulation of the moral consequences drawn from what have been established concerning our Souls and for the Conviction of our Duties and the Condemnation of Disorder NO Man of Reason can believe that Ingratitude is an Ornament to Nature or that Injustice Meâ—s a reward nor that Treachery is a Virtue or an Honest and Commendable Quality nor on the contrary that Justice Fidelity and Gratitude are things Condemnable and Wicked Men make Laws according to their Fancy they make themselves Obey'd for fear of Punishment when they have the Power in their Hands But it 's remarkable that Men who make Laws cannot make themselves Obey'd nor be Beloved or Beleived when they act things disagreeable For Unjust and Tyrannical Laws People pay only an exterior Obedience to their Commands but the Heart and the Spirit cries out and demandâ— Justice from him whom all Men naturally feel over their Heads as a Protector of Justice and an avengeâ— of Oppression and Unjust Authority We sometime receive Unjust Laws but we do not believe them to be Just for all that but as to the natural Laws oâ— Duty and Consciences all Men receive them and be lieve by an invincible Determination of a Superioâ— Light which equally perswades them alike for Natural Light convinces us with invincible force and this is an Infallible Character of Natural Light. Conscience is then in us undoubtedly Natural and as certain as it is an Essential Companion of our Nature and a Propriety inseparable from our Soul From hence arises in us by the help of Grace all Moraâ— and Christian Virtues because it is impossible to conceive that Corporeal Nature can be the subject oâ— Magnanimity of Justice of Fidelity of Continencâ— and of Truth for a Corporeal Nature alone cannoâ— have the Light of Order or of Duty or the Inclination or Determination of Duty or the Pleasure oâ— Performance or the Pain of the Violation of Duty for Duty Order and Justice have no Bodies they arâ— things totally Spiritual and Intelligible and there fore without the assistance of the Soul cannot havâ— the Idea or the Sentiment of them because it is by the Soul that they are Ingrafted and poured into ouâ— Corporeal Nature God having assembled togetheâ— both these in one single whole not as one but acting by this Indubitable Method God have prescribed by reason of their dependance one upon another or to say better the Union betwixt each other and are all animated with one and the same Influence of Divine Life and marked with one and the same resemblance and equally Impelled by the same Love of Duty For which reason we are obliged to Love and to Accomplish all the extents of Justice of Truth of Charity and of Civility and of Mutual or Reciprocal respect towards all Men upon the consideration that this Life is short and troublesome and all things in it are frail and perishable and the noblest Pleasures in it are essentially false as well as empty they leave the Heart even during this Life Sick and Famished and if not retired from before Death they will leave the Soul Eternally deceived by a cruel Privation and an insupportable desolation of regret For the best injoyments of this Life are a perpetual alternativeness of real Cares and Torments all things here being but false shadows of Repose and lucid Intervals of Reason a Theater of Eternal Mutations a Chain interlinked with short and transitory Felicities and long and durable Miseries a vehement and impetuous Whirl-wind of Hurry and Ambition which after having much tormented and agitated the Body and Soul having raised a Thousand snares in the Heart and Spirit it disappears into Air and Smoak for so it is that this Life doth not exercise it self but upon the false and perishable Objects of Time and â—s deceitful and deceiving Oeconomy whereas the nâ—ture Life exercises it self upon Objects wholly True and wholly Solid because the future Life is â—ut as it were one Day all Uniformity for there very Holy Soul will Eternally be United to eversting Triumphs and Felicities for there every Soul â—ill be Essentially Living infinite Happy and Joyous no here it have been exercised in Trouble in the future Life it shall rest in Glory and endless Felicities as the Apostle saith Such as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor Heart conceived 2 Cor. 12. 4. Much less can the feeble Eloquence of Man express by any description that his Idea or Sentiment can conceive to put into Method to declare or so much as describe Our Soul is said to commence when it goes out of the Body That which we call time is taken either by relation to the duration of the abode of every Soul in its Body or by relation to the duration of the whole present Oeconomy of the visible World destined to the Tryal of the Souls in the Bodys and in whatsoever signification we take Time in opposition to Eternity it signifies precisely a State of Instability of Change and Vicissitude i. e. a State which ought to have an end for these are two things which enter Essentially into the Idea which is called Time Vicissitude and End the space of the duration that our Souls are in our Bodies is called Time for these two Reasons First because it is to have an end And Secondly because in the interim so long as it endures it holds us exposed to a Thousand Chainges and Vicissitudes and which is to be lamented that Vicissitude of being obnoxious to pass from Good to Evil from Virtue to Sin to Crimes or Vice but on the contrary Eternity is Immutable and an Interminable State and Order of things As much as Time includes Instability and End so much does Eternity excludes both Time speaks Changeâ— and End Eternity speaks the Being always the same and never ending Thus as our
but prefer the care of the Soul before all the World for it is more to be valued than Ten Thousand Worlds Wherefore take heed to your selves and be Wise in time before it is to late for though you know not what the Soul is because you see it not neither can you feel it yet it is a Particle which came from Heaven and when it goes out of the Body it goes to God to Live for ever it sleeps not neither doth it die for it is Immortal and of an Immortal Nature and so impossible to be destroy'd for we have our Saviours own Word for it when he saith Ye cannot kill the Soul St. Luke 12. 4. and when he saith My Father is the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob St. Matt. 22. 32. whereby he plainly shews that the Soul which is the nobler part of Man tho it be taken from the Body is alive for saith he My Father is the God of the living and not of the dead as dead but of the living that are dead So that thâ— Souls of all departed people are alive for althougâ— their Bodies are crumbled to Dust from whence theâ— were taken their Souls are with God that gave them or in some place of Gods appointment according 〈◊〉 their lives have been Because God have prepared maâ— Mansions for us St. John 14. 2. and as we have improved our Talent so shall our Station be St. Paâ—â— also saith That one Star differeth from another Star 〈◊〉 Glory and since these things are so let us not loâ— a Minutes time but improve it to the Glory of Goâ— and our own Souls Good and begg of him to giâ—â— us a Heart inflamed with Love and winged wiâ—â— Duty that we may give up our Souls totally to hâ—â— Adorable Majesty that he may dwell in the Throâ—â— of our Souls for ever And after this Life we may 〈◊〉 admitted to the Vision of Bliss and have free Inteâ—course with all Holy Souls in those beautious Regions Fourthly 'T is evident that Spirits fill no rooâ— tho they could see all things which point is veâ—â— dubious and unsertain for that Holy Souls can behoâ—â— the visible Actions of Mortal Men to us is altogethâ—â— uncertain tho we doubt not but they do behold whaâ—soever is Acted in those Regions where they dweâ— in those Infinite Dimensions or Heavenly Habitations tho they are inriched with Liberty and made brigâ—â— by Knowledge derived from the Illustrous and Illumâ—nated Power of the Omnipotent God who is infinitâ— Communicative to be Good and to do Good to 〈◊〉 Mankind and hath made the Soul of Man on purpoâ—â— that it might see him in his Kingly Country wheâ— St. Paul saith We shall be like him for we shall 〈◊〉 him as he is not as we now behold him darkly througâ— a Vail in deep Obscurity but Face to Face in Unvaâ—â—ed Glory And if the Eye of the Body that was maâ—â— for the World being so little a Ball of Earth aâ—â— Water can take in all and see the visible World i. e. â—hat part of it on which the sight of the Eye can be â—resent much more is the Soul able to see and be preâ—ent with all that is Divine and Eternal tho the Soul 〈◊〉 unhappily divided from God is a weak and inâ—onsiderable Creature but when United to God 't is 〈◊〉 Transcendant and Celestial Thing God being its Life â—reatness and Power for as the Apostle saith he â—hat is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit for his Omniâ—resence and Eternity fills the Soul and makes it able 〈◊〉 contain all hights and depths and all things may â—e in it as it were by Thoughts and Intellections and Magnanimous desires are the Natural result of such 〈◊〉 Magnanimous Capacity Such a Soul then in respect â—f its Capacity is an Immovable Sphere of Power and â—nowledge and by imagination is able to pass â—â—rough the Centre of the Earth and through all â—xistencies for it is most Capacious and Swift Comâ—and it then by thought to go into India and sooner â—â—en thou canst bid it it will be there not as passing â—â—om Place to Place but by Thought and Immaginaâ—on suddenly in a moment as you may send it to â—eaven by the slight of a Thought as you may at any â—â—me command it to fly tho not by the assistance of â—ings in a Bodyly manner but after the manner that â—ouls pass from Place to Place not locally but after â—e manner of Spirits For the Soul of Man is said to 〈◊〉 an Immutable Essence his Power of Reasoning is â—ive even when 't is quiet and the Body unactive â—is one and the same for Nature in all Men tho not â—r Indeuments of it self equally inclined to Great â—ransendent Things tho in most Men 't is misguided â—â—ffled and suppressed but where it has the common â—ssistances that God has prepared for it it is a Miracuâ—â—us Creature and of near alliance to the Divine Maâ—sty For a Man being Wise and Holy his Soul is 〈◊〉 it were in the Heavenly World and it 's no trivial â—â—jury can make him contend being Liberal and Magnanimous he is prone to do Heroical Things and to make himself Venerable to his very Adversary being averse to all Wroth Clamour and Anger scarcely in any thing being defective and becomes a great Man by contemning Danger having an Infinite felicity in his Dayly view and may justly strengthen himself in the hopes of Divine assistance knowing the Infinite value of his Soul and believing the Blessedness that is in reserve for it by reason of the greatness of interiour Bliss and is therefore environed with the bright Beams of his own injoyments and always beggeth of God that as Sin hath abounded so may Grace superabound that all Souls may receive the Blessed advantages of the Divine Forgiveness that all may have the Blessed Assistance of Grace to lead us into all Virtues which are themselves our Aids to bring us to Glory For these acquire good Habits and infuseâ— Grace causing us to incline to the secret Study of Felicity that we may be even now possessed with sincere and pure delights for Godliness is a kind of God-likeness a Divine Habit or Frame of Soul that may fitly be accounted the fulness of the Stature of the inward Man. For 't is an Inclination to be like God to please him and injoy him and he may be said to be God-like that is High and Serious in all his Thoughts Humble and Condescending in all his Actions full of Love and good Will to all the Creatures and bright in the Knowledge of all their Nature Covering all the Treasures of God and Breaths after the Joys of Heaven Recollecting all his broken and scattered Thoughts nothing less than the Wisdom of God will please the God-like Man for God-likeness is the comment of Amity betwixt God and Man Eternity and Immensity are the Sphere of his Activity and are often frequented and filled With his
a vail I mention this not to divert any from aspiring to the highest degrees of Perfection but to reprove that preposterous course many ta 〈…〉 est weight upon those things 〈…〉 least and have more Zeal for 〈…〉 then for express downright Comm 〈…〉 the one to commute for the contemp 〈…〉 For some Men are apt to scruple small thi 〈…〉 not startle at Injustice or Oppression which 〈…〉 to be rectified that Men may have an equa 〈…〉 to all the Commands of God not letting any 〈…〉 slip their Observation For he that breaks the 〈…〉 command is guilty of all not but that he that brea 〈◊〉 them all is guilty of more severe Punishments then he that breaks but one But the meaning is he that breaks one shall not go Unpunished being deeply guilty of Disobedience God having required an equal regard to all his Precepts and who so gives him not their whole Heart offers to him but a lame and unacceptable Sacrifice for any thing less than the full power of our Wills cannot please God who is of purer Eyes than to behold any the least Evil with approbation for his Wisdom being so pure a Majesty cannot be pleased with any thing that is impure of Heart Necessary is it therefore to give him the full of our Mind Will and Soul or as our Catechism expresses it To serve him with all our strength in every Centure of our Lives For the more we serve him the more and better shall we be regarded honoured and rewarded by him the searcher of all Hearts Of the excellent Qualification of the Soul from its high Extraction ALthough Men do not know the Soul neither can they see it because it is like the Eyes of our Bodies it sees every thing but it self but it self 〈…〉 assuredly know that by it we 〈…〉 inabled to do actions of Piety 〈…〉 Consciences dictates to us what is 〈…〉 done for that is a good and faith 〈…〉 that whensoever we do amiss we do 〈…〉 our Souls and stupifie our Consciences 〈…〉 Evil or cause others so to do But to a 〈…〉 let us begg of God to give us a chast Spi 〈…〉 is the Crown of faithful Souls Wherefore 〈…〉 said of Virginity that it is the Life of Angels 〈…〉 animal of the Soul the advantage of Religion which is a mutual a strong and voluntary inclination to the Worship of God for it is empty of Cares and ought to be full of Prayers which are fed with Fastings it is very advatagious to Devotion and Retirement for whosoever is careful of his Time and Behaviour shall not be robbed of his reward for his good intentions Secondly Then fail not of being eminent in your Generations for Virtue and Piety by being burning and shining Lights unmingled with any manner of Evil that you may follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth But above all be Humble for that is the Ornament of our Holy Religion and it makes you to differ from the Wisdom of the World. For our Learning is then best when it teaches us Humility for to be proud of our Learning is the greatest Ignorance in the World for our Learning is so long in getting and so very imperfect that the Learnedest person in the World knows not the Thousandth part of that which he is Ignorant of so that he cannot attain to any Maturity of Knowledge proportionable to that of Angels No Man therefore has any cause to boast of his excellency for what thou hast thou hast received from God and art the more Obliged to return him Thanks for it and thou art bound to improve the Grace that he hath given thee to his Glory Consider then that thou wer't nothing before thou as Born and what wer 't thou in the first Regions of â—y dwellings before thy Birth but uncleaness What â—â—ast thou for many Years after but Weakness and â—â—ailty As the Psalms expresses It even as the smoak â—at vanisheth away Ps 102. 3. A great debtor then â—â—t thou to God to thy Parents to the Earth and all â—â—e Creatures For all Men that have ever been were â—â—ressed with Hunger and the Frailties of human Naâ—re so that the best and wisest Persons are subject â—o the Necessity of Nature wherefore there is great â—â—ause of Humility for the Spirit of Man is light and â—oublesome his Body is bruitish and sickly he is conâ—ant in his Folly and Errour inconstant in his Manâ—er and Good Purposes his Labours are vain intriâ—ate and endless his Fortune is changeable but selâ—om pleasing his Wisdom comes not till he be ready 〈◊〉 die or at least till he have spent great part of his â—â—me in wast His death is certain always ready at â—he Door but never far off upon these or the like Meâ—â—itations If we dwell on them or frequently retire 〈◊〉 consider them we shall see nothing more reasonable â—an to be Humble and nothing more foolish than to â—e Proud Humility consists not in railing against our â—â—lves or wearing mean Cloaths or going softly or â—â—bmissively but in a hearty and real mean Opinion â—f our selves Thirdly Believe thy self then an unworthy Person 〈◊〉 heartily as thou believest thy self to be Hungry Poor 〈◊〉 Sick when thou art so love to be concealed and 〈◊〉 esteemed off Be not troubled when thou art â—ighed and undervalued and when thou hast done â—ny thing worthy of praise return it to God who is â—â—e Giver of the Gift and Blesser of the Action and â—â—ive him thanks for making thee the Instrument of is Glory Secure a good Name to thy self by being â—irtuous Pious and Humble and when People have â—n occasion to speak well of thee take no content in â—raise when it is offered thee but let thy rejoycing be in Gods Gift but let it be alay'd with Fear lest thâ— Good bring thee to Evil. Pray often for Gods Gracâ— with Humility of gesture and passion of desire thaâ— God may be Glorified by thy Example of Humility which may be as well in a low condition as in a ricâ— Begg God 〈◊〉 irriâ—h thy Soul with all Graces anâ— when thou had attained them give God thanks 〈◊〉 them Pâ—ide hinders the acceptance of our Prayerâ— Humility pierceth the Clouds and will not give oveâ— till God accepts neither will it depart till the mosâ— high regards For he resisteth the Proud but 〈◊〉 Grace to the Hâ—mble St. Jam. 4 6. Then begg Gâ—acâ— and Pardon that it may be a remedy and relief aâ—gainst Misery and Oppression and be content in 〈◊〉 conditions begg Tranquility of Spirit Patience iâ— Affliction that we may gain Love abroad and Peacâ— at home Coâ—sider the blessed Sâ—â—iour of the World 〈◊〉 who left the 〈◊〉 of his Father the Lord of Glory 〈◊〉 who took upon him the liâ—e of Labour and came tâ— a State of Poverty to a Death of Malâ—fâ—ctouâ—s to thâ— Grave of Death and the intolerable Calamitiâ—s which we deserved Therefore it 's but reasonable that wâ— should be as Humble in the
present State in the Body is Time so our future State out of the Bodâ— is Eternity the due consideration of which ought to Penetrate us and cause a General and Universaâ— Change in our Ideas that now in time we may sâ— prepare for Eternity that we may be Eternally happy when Time shall be no more Now of these twâ— States the one appears infinitly Precious and Essential and the other infinitly despisable We ought therefore earnestly to endeavour to render our selves worthy of being rewarded by him to whom the secrets of all Hearts are at present unclosed and now immediately relate our selves to him by our Confession of our dependance upon his Supereminent excellency over us and over all the World that we may â—â—el indubitably the Pleasures and Delights which he contains for his Goodness is ready to discover the Charms and Beauty of his Sovereign Nature to all â—ho desire to be united to him by shewing Love and Charity to all their Christian Brethren that when God â—hall make up his Jewels they may be found worthy of â—eward at the end of the present Oeconomy when his Mâ—jesty shall put an end to the Vicissitudes of Time when â—e shall fix all things in an immutable and an eternal Orâ—er when he will give a beginning to the New World â—nd when he will re-establish all the Bodies and reâ—nite every Soul to that Body which she animated â—pring this present life this will â—e do who calls â—â—mself the Resurrection and the Life the first born â—mongst the dead the Father of Ages to come he 〈◊〉 whom we are all raised up again in a Mistery and â—â— a Figure and will undoubtedly raise us effectually 〈◊〉 the last Day For then we shall be even in our â—odies like Angels disfranchised from the businesses â—d the inclinations which we have upon the occaons of the Body St. Paul also teaches us that our â—odies shall be Spiritualized and we may upon this â—â—inciple decide with certainty that the re-union of â—odies doth not at all change the Foundation of that â—â—ate of the Soul out of the Body the manner and â—â—â— cumstances whereof we have been illustrating â—r when our Bodies shall be Spiritualized by the â—surrection they shall be no more a charge to the 〈◊〉 tho the Learned say That the Nature of our â—dies shall not be chainged so as to become knowâ—â— Natures or cease to be extended Substances but that the Body shall be no more an obstacle oâ— hinderance in any thing to the Soul but our Bodies will serve to do Honour and Glory to the God of Nature Our Bodies after they are raised will have a perfect and sovereign agility that is to say an intire indifference for all sorts of motion which will cause them without any resistance to be carried every where whether the Souls would have them for then they will have neither Levity nor Gravity but will be aâ—â— light as the Air and as swift as a Thought thâ— Bodies of themselves have not either lightness 〈◊〉 weight so as to ascend or descend but being afters they are raised from the Grave Spiritualized theâ— will by the Almighty Power be able to do this wheâ— our Bodies shall be replaced with our Souls and ouâ— whole Man will be replaced in a much purer structure than ever it was at first before it was defile by Sin. From whence we may see the excellenâ—â— train of the Divine System of Religion which without doubt clear and certain that the Universâ—â— Resurrection will be a Circumstance of that Glorious Solemnity of Justice which God will make at thâ— consummation of Ages for the consecration of hâ— Eternal Temple for the overture and commencâ—ment of his Immortal Reign for the solemn Coronation of his Royal Majesty and for the compleat Trâ—â—umph of Man-God for the justification of his Prâ—vidence and the full Declaration and Maâ—â—festatio of his Glorious Will at the end of this preseâ—â— Oeconomy of Time. The Scripture speaks of Hoâ—Souls as if they had the Pleasure of walking on thâ— Globes of the Heavens and to be in the midst of thâ— Stars to walk upon the Sun and the Moon after tâ—â— manner of Spirits it accommodates it self to oâ— ross manner of speaking and of conceiving tâ— most Spiritual things under Corporeal forms whicâ— may be called a clear distinct Idea of the visibâ—â— World which God gives to Just Souls they waâ— after their manner upon the Arches of Heaven they are capable of being at the same time at both the Poles of the World they are said to fill its whole extent they are in both the Hemispheres Their Horizon is not at all a limited Horizon which never permits us to see here but a little portion of the Universe it is not bounded But by the bounds of Nature We do not at present see these Heavenly Bodies but only these parts of them which reflects the light upon us We do not see the Sun the Moon the Stars and the Terraqueous Globe of the Earth and the Seas but only one side of them But the pure Souls immediately â—nlightned by God as they are they see at the same â—ime the whole Globe of the Sun all the Face of the Moon both the Hemispheres of the Earth there is â—o Antipodes to them they all see at one view all the â—air prospects of Nature and all the beautiful Table of â—he visible World for besides that their Knowledg universal in this respect so it is not at all successive â—ut all full and clear at once so that they see all things least by reflection by which we compare one â—hing with the other to observe diversities and sinâ—â—arities by which we pass on from that we know that we do not as yet know which may be called â—e proper species of reasoning which brings into the â—orld all the Arts and Sciences as proper means to tend Knowledge as is an effort and agitation of â—hought but this is to be understood of the preâ—â—â— Life But what we spake before we spake of 〈◊〉 future Life i. e. of pure Souls made Glorious by Majesty on high who presides over all our Knowâ—â—ge and over all our Sentiments and causes them us in spite of us and all this by the assistance of 〈◊〉 admirable and illuminating Wisdom which are 〈◊〉 Essâ—ntial Character and Attributes of that which 〈◊〉 call Divinity or Supreame Nature so that a reâ—â—e and an attentive Man cannot be ignorant of 〈◊〉 excellent Truths by the assistance of the provident Wisdom of our great Creator for he it is that teaches us that the Luminous Body of the Sun with the Firmament shews perpetually his Glory every thing sympathysing with each other in the mistaken Miseries which Men call good till their Spiritual Eyes are open and they see they are deluded by great mistake when the sensation by which one Man doth see and understand an other is made with a confus'd sentiment of Pleasure and with a certain agreement which
King Solomon's RECANTATIONS BEING AN EXTRACT Out of the Famous WORKS Of the Learned FRANCIS QVARLES Cup-bearer to the Queen of Bohemia Sister to the blessed Martyr King Charles the I. of venerable Memory With an Essay to prove the Immortality of the Soul by way of Symetry or Connexion Licensed July 21. 1688. Rob. Midgley LONDON Printed by I. R. and are to be sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers-Hall 1688. Advertisements T'Here is lately Printed a Book Intitule The way of Life is Pleasant Or tâ—â— Church of England is the Best Guide Coâ—â—taining several useful Discourses for every Christian to Read and Practise for the support of their Spirits and comfort of the Minds With some Evangelical Reflection upon the Apostolical Observation of thâ— Lent-Fast With short and useful Prayer upon the Church-Festivals and most other Emergent Occasions With several prepaâ—ratory Prayers for the Holy Sacrament anâ— Thanksgiving after Receiving Licensed Iun 〈◊〉 the 4th 1686. and Sold by Randal Tayloâ— near Stationers Hall I. Harding at the Biâ—â— and Anchor in Newport-street Rich. Sare a Grays-Inn Gate in Holbourn and by most Book sellers in London and Westminster 1686. KIng Solomons Experimental Observations of Himself Time and Things deducted from his Recantations by Way of Soliloquie in a well digested Method Sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers-Hall 168â— King Solomon's RECANTATIONS c. OH 't is much better not to Thirst at all Than Thirst in vain or quench thy Thirâ—t with Gall. â—hose profit can accrue to Man what gains â—an Crown his Actions or reward his Pains â—â—nless he trample on the Asp and tread 〈◊〉 the young Lyon and the old Dragon's head Or else the Clouds of Sorrow may multiply â—â—d hide from thee the Crystal of the gloomy Sky â—â—oad not thy Shoulders by the Sin of unwise desire â—hat all thy bedrid Passions may quite expire â—â—earch for and find such Words which have the might 〈◊〉 intermingle profit with sweet delight Than shalt thou have hopeful worth to Crown thy last â—ith Peace and Honor yea such rare Sons thou hast â—â—nce Frolick Midnight Madness is quite expir'd and thou requite Thy wild attention with Heavenly delight Thy courage indeavouring to deserve the name Of heroick Martyr by giving thy Body to the Flame This will give true Life so sweet to every one That takes pleasure in the Worlds redeeming Son From Earths pleasures by striving to refrain Knowing those short-liv'd flattering pleasures vain Therefore rejoycing greatly in true Spiritual ways By Heavenly contentment chearing youthful Days Banishing false-eyed Mirth let it be truly disposest Of those lewd Firs that are apt to inflame thy Breaâ—â— For Earths best injoyments are short and vain But for a season rejoycing but cannot remain For feeble Strength her ruins smite thee And grinds thy clod to dust tho not afrights thee One Generation gives another way But Earth abides in one perpetual stay The Prince of Light put on his Morning Crown But in the Evening lays his Glory down Where leaving Earth to take a short repose He soon returns and rises where he rose His Wisdoms choice affections own His Churches good much dearer then his Throne For us subduing beneath the spangled Sky What ever might hurt us That in Wisdom we may decry All Evils and seek all Hevenly sweet felicity Yet injoying such pleasures that Earth could lenâ— that I Might find Earths Mirth and Beauty but vanity My thoughts yet pondering all that hath been done Betwixt the solid Center and the glorious Son And yet no knowledge can reduce the state Of crooked Nature to a perfect straight For some Mens Ignorance which surmounts The learned Language of Arithmeticks accounts Oh! then thought I how are the vain desires Flesh and Blood Baffled in their mistaken things called good Yet travel seeks them yea unwearied Hearts Makes them the objects both of Arms and Arts Yet many certan obvious Evils attend Our Ways to our uncertain Journies end We tire the Night in thought the Day in toil Sparing neither sweet nor lucubrated Oyl â—o seek the things we cannot find or found â—e cannot hold or held we cannot ground â—o firm as to resist the various swings â—f fickle Fortune or the frowns of Kings That if his Royal Power please to commit â—â—is Pastorial Staff to such as are more fit â—o Eat and Drink Kill or recommend his Flocks â—o such dumb Dogs of whom ne'r Wof nor Fox â—â—ill stand in awe or shew their fears by flight Not having Tongues to bark nor Teeth to bite Yet by the way advise Obedience then Always he sure to please rather God than Men. â—f the Embers of his rage should chance to lye Rak'd up or furnace from his angry Eye Quit not thy Duty 't is thy part to asswage â—y due Obedience the jealous flames of consuming rage Curse not the King nor them that bears the Sword No not in Thought tho Thought express no Word â—or secret report shall vent such hidious things To punish those who oppose the legal Authority of Kings For all that attempt thus to act casts a shame Upon the beauty of an honor'd Name Ah then my Soul take heed to keep thy Heart At thy right Hand where there she will impart Continual secrets and direct thy ways â—n secret Ethicks sweetning out thy Days With season'd Knowledge Wisdom past the reach Of dangerous error and instruct and teach Thy Heart-wise silence Wisdom when to beak Thy clos'd Lips and judgement how to speak â—uch wise Mens Words are gracious where they go But foolish Language doth themselves o're-throw Folly brings in the Prologue with his Song Whose Epilogue is rage and open wrong Yea the tedious actions of every Fool doth try The solid patience of the weary standers by Because their weakness knows not how to lay Their actions posture in a civil way Yea such rude folly stains their Fame But fair repute for Wisdom lends a name Therefore our steps will measure out the way Our Garb our Looks our Language doth betray Our Wisdom or Follies read by all we meet Our selves proclaiming our Follies in every Street But 't is a grief that grates beneath the Sun That like events betides to every one A like be false to Good and Bad Wise and Fooâ— Yea both To him that Swears and him that fears an Oath Better to be a living Creatures tho vild they plead Then to be known a wealthy Wiseman that is dead For they that live well know that they shall die Therefore take time but theâ— that lie Rak'd up in deaths cold Emâ—rs they know not Or Good or Ill their names are quite forgot No Friends they have to Love nor Foes to Hate They know no Virtue to spit Venom at They sell no sweet for gains nor do they buy Pleasures with pains or tread beneath the Sky But yet go thou rejoyce and Eat let a full Bowl Cashire thy Cares and chear thy frolick Soul What Heaven hath lent thee with a liberal
Love The Peace of Sinners how much move Sue and thirst intreat lament and grieve For all the Crimes in which they live And wait and seek and call again And long to save them from their Pain My Memory 's like a searce of Lawn Alas It keeps things gross and lets the purer pass Which makes me loath my self so vile O base repute 〈◊〉 better starve then eat such empty fruit Yet dear Lord let me ne're Confounded be Since all my Hope is plac'd in thee True Joys alone contentment do inspire Iâ—rich content and make our Courage higher The true fear of God desire and love Must in the height of all their rapture move For content alone 's a dead and silent Stone The real lite of Bliss is Glory reigning on a Throâ—e O let me in a lively manner see Dear Jesus Eternal Joys in thee Inable me to Praiâ—e thy Majesty with all my might Whose Grace and Favour is Sweet yea Infinite O let me Love thee since thy Divine care Hast promised me a share in thy Kingdom fair 'A Sea that 's bounded in a Finite Shore ' Is better far because it is no more ' Should Waters endlesly exceed the Skies They 'd drown the World and all what e'er we prize ' Had the bright Sun been Infinite the Flame ' Had burnt the World and quite consum'd the same ' That Flame would yield no splendor to the Sight ' 'T would be but Darkness tho 't were Infinite ' One Star made Infinite would all exclude ' An Earth made Infinite could ne'er be view'd ' But all being bounded for each others sake ' He bounding all did all most useful make ' And which is best in profit and delight ' Tho not in bulk he made all Infinite ' He in his Wisdom did their use extend ' By all to all the World from end to end ' In all things all things Service do to all ' And thus a Sand is endless tho but small ' And every thing is truly Infinite ' In its relation deep and exquisite ' O Lord be thou within me to strengthen me ' Without me to keep me ' About me to protect me ' Beneath me to uphold me ' Before me to direct me ' Behind me to reduce me ' Round about me to defend me O Lord I beseech thee give me a longing Affection after the Pleasures of thy Holy Spirit because they are noble and will advance my Soul to Eternal Happiness make me often Contemplate the Joys of Heaven the hopes of which is the Joy and Comfort of my Soul. A short Discourse of the Mortality of the BODY and Immortality and Excellency of the SOUL Isaiah 26. 19. Thy dead Men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise Awake and Sing ye that dwell in Dust For thy dew is as the dew of Herbs and the Earth shall cast out the dead Glory be to God on high and on Earth Peace Good will towards Men. Hallelujah 1. FIRST and above all let us consider how short and uncertain our lives are which are subject to a Thousand Frailties and Casualties and to Death every moment insomuch that our whole life is but short and troublesome and as a Wind that passeth away and cometh â—ot again which is evidently declared by the various â—nstances of the Mortality of Frail and Mortal Man That our very sleeping and waking is but a kind of living and dying nay Morning and Evening is but 〈◊〉 a Embâ—em of the representation of Death and the â—esurrection For God hath given every Man but a short time to be upon Earth so that upon the well â—encâ—ing it our well being in Eternity depends Whereâ—ore Divines say that every Hour or our Life after â—e are capable of receiving Laws and knowledge â—f Good and Evil we must give an Account how â—e spend our Time to the Judge of Men and Angels Therefore we must remember we have a great Work to do many Enemies to Conquer many Evils to preâ—ent many Dangers to go through many Necessities â—o serve much Good to do many Friends to support many Poor to relief besides the Needs of Nature and Relation our Private and Publick Cares so that God hath given every Man Work enough to do that there is no room for Idleness and yet there is room for Devotion Wherefore he spends his Time and Wealth well that imploys it in the Service of God by setting a part a great Portion of it for Religion and the Necessity of Mens Souls by filling up all the spaces of his Time with Devotion and by taking from Sleep to imploy in this Exercise Secondly Let him consider that hath but little â—leasure that he ought to set a part some solemn Time for the Venerable Worship of God Thrice in the Year at least tho he buy it at the rate of any Labour and Honest Art for the quiting of Worldly Business let him attend wholly to Fasting and Prayer in the dressing up of his Soul by Confession Meditation and deep Humiliation that he may make up his Accounts renew his Vows and improve his Time to the Glory of God and his own Souls good Seeing that we know not the Day of our Death we ought with all Care and Diligence to prepare for it that if it be our Lot to die Young we may also die Innocent before the Sweetness of our Souls are defloured that we may attain this favour of God that our Souls have suffered a less Imprisonment by being speedily freed form the load of the Body For at Death our Souls are equal to the Angels and Heirs of Eternity For it is observed by some that after the time that a Child is Conceived he never ceaseth to be to all Eternity so that if he dies Young or Old hâ— hath still an Immortal Soul and laid down his Bodâ— only for a time as that which was the Instrumenâ— of his Trouble and Sorrow for he will certainly havâ— a more noble Being after Death than he hath here Seeing these things are so let us endeavour to stamp Religion on our Souls that God may deliver us from Unrighteous dealings may we therefore always havâ— an Ear open to hear the just Complaints of the Poor and a Heart full of pitty to support them for the Soul must have the Prehemency over the Body because it is more Noble and infinitly more to be valu'd than the Body for the Body is to turn to Dust within a little time but in the mean while it is nourished by sleep which refreshes it and revives the Spirit Wherefore it is said of sleep it 's a kind of Death and whatsoever we take from sleep we add to Life Thirdly Wherefore be saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Ephes 5. 14. Arise thou sleepy Soul call upon thy God Jonah 1. 6. suffer it not to be drowsy or sleeppy when it stands upon the briâ—ks of Eternity