of Being amount but to one still-Present Now. Nor can this seem Incredible to any Christian since we all hold that Spiritual Natures are Capable of seeing GOD's Essence as in it self which as is Undeniable infinitely surmounts all the whole Machine of this Material World We have seen that all Physical Qualities do enjoy when in thee another manner of Being and affect Thee their Subject after a quite different way from what they had when they were in Material Nature The most Opposite ones which are perpetually contrasting and restlessly striving to expell one another do by thy Soveraign Power remain at peace in thy Steady Essence which is of 〈…〉 High a Dignity to be mov'd or disturb'd by their Petty Quarrels We have seen that thy Abstracting Power can â—…de these Lower Beings more Subtilly than can the Operation of Fire or any Chymistry of Nature assisted by Art and can take in pieces their very Essences and the Essences of their several Modes by cutting them into their Metaphysical Parts which are too delicate for our Bodily Sight tho' assisted with the best Microscopes to discern or make Observations how they differ Each of which Parts too tho' naturally Impartible have a Distinct Being given by Thee and can be wrought upon by thy Understanding as if they were so many Wholes and this with that most perfect Distinction that they do not in the least interfere in thee tho' they â—â—â— All of them confusedly blended as they stand in Rude and Unpolisht Matter We have seen how by the cement of Existence exprest by the short Monosyllable is thou dost iâ— thy Comparing Power the Laboratory where Truths are fram'd re-connect those thus-divided Parts into Propositions and this with an Union so Close that 't is absolutely Indissoluble by the utmost Force of all the Causes in Nature Nay that thy Spiritual Essence can in some manner Create by giving a kind of Being in Thee to Not-Beings or Nothings In a word we have seen that all the whole Material World and every Part of it that ever came to thy Knowledge do enjoy a New sort of Being in Thee and such a one as is contradictorily Opposite to the Being they had in their Material State All these high Prerogatives dilating thy Essence and Duration to a kind of Infinity above this Narrow World we The most Important Use we ought to make of this Doctrin That our Soul is Immortal have found clearly to be no more but thy Just Due however Unreflecting Atheists whose groveling Souls immerst in Matter cannot or will not raise themselves above Fancy do use their misemploy'd Foolish Wit as the World calls it to devest themselves of their own Dignity and like so many worst Feloes de se by maintaining their Soul is Mortal do give themselves to be Guilty of Eternal Death or which is worse than Death of Annihilation by granting their Souls incapable of Surviving But let us to whom the Providence of our Good Makeâ— has indulg'd these Clear Informations make oâ—â— Right Use of them Since these are Great Truths let Truth have it's Due Effects 'T is so Gross at Errour that it is below Confute to imagine that any Truth is an Idle and Fruitless Speculatiâ—â— The Knowledge of Truth in Particular things does of it's own Nature tend to direct our Outward Actions and Universal Truths such as these are do naturally conduce to enlarge our Soul raise â—â— to High Contemplation and to breed in us Conformable Affections Since then we have the best â—…rance Clear Demonstration can give us that this Material World is below our Essence 't is most fit we should esteem it to be also below our most Serious Thoughts and our Best Affections Let us â—â—ancipate our selves then from the Slavish Adoration with which Worldlings devote themselves to that Dull and Senseless Idol And seeing Evident Reason has perfectly convinced us there is no shadow of Likelihood that our Soul is Mortal let us bend all â—â—â— carefullest Endeavours to provide she may be Happy in her Eternal State when she comes to be â—â—â—â—â—dg'd from her terrene habitation and has got clear of her Body and this World nay is got above it which is the only True Wisdom To the Consideration of which State of hers we advance in our next Discourse Transnatural Philosophy OR METAPHYSICKS BOOK II. Of PURE ACTS VIZ. Of the SOUL SEPARATED and ANGELS CHAP. I. Of the State of the Soul Separated from the Body and what Dispositions in her when the Man Dies will make her Eternally Happy or Miserable 1. THE Soul does at her Separation The Soul at her Separation receives some Change according to her Manner of Existing and Suppositality receive from GOD as he is the Author of Nature some Change according to her Existence and her Subsistence or Suppositality For since in her former State of Union with her Body she was the Form of that Body and therefore Form and Matter being the Parts of every Compound Ens only a Part of Man and a Part of an Ens is not an Ens or Individuum nor consequently capable of Existing much less of Subsisting which as is shown above B. 1. Chap. 5. § 17. superadds some Perfection to the Notion of Existence It follows that seeing the same Soul when separated from the Body she being by Book 1. Chap. 7. Immortal does Exist and also Subsist in regard she Sustains her own Nature and as will be prov'd shortly her Modes too she must be made apt to Exist and Subsist which she was not while in her former State that is she must be Chang'd according to those Considerations or Respects and made an Existent and Subsistent Thing and consequently a Kind of Suppositum And that it belongs to GOD as he is the First Cause to give the Soul this highest Perfection of Being is hence demonstrated For it belongs to an Infinite Actuality or an Infinite Goodness to give to his Creatures all the Goodness and Natural Perfections they are capable to receive especially such as the very Nature he has given them makes them require Now 't is evident that the Nature of the Soul she being Immortal is capable of and requires still to Exist and also to Subsist and be a Suppositum because she had while in the Body Power to have in her as in their Subject that is to Sustain or be the Suppositum of innumerable Accidents Notions or Knowledges which they being Spiritual or Indivisible could not be received in a Divisible Subject the Corporeal part of Man and therefore could only be peculiarly in Her Whence it follows that since 〈◊〉 Ordain'd the Dissolution of the Man or the 〈◊〉 Separation from the Body and had also mâ—de the Soul Immortal it became His Goodness to give her when separated Existence which her Immortal Nature requir'd and also the Power of Subsisting and of being the Subject or Suppositum of those Accidents â— How this is done we may learn by this
contrary to all the Maâ—…ims of Sound Philosophy 34. Lastly If All the Ideas or Notions be Innatâ— and there can be no reason why some should be so and otheâ— Eighth Proof not since the Soul is equally capable of All as of Some only then since to be Actually in a Knowing Power is to Actuate or Inform that Power that is to render that Power Actually Knowing it would follow that the Souâ— in that case having in her all those Notions of which her Nature is capable that is All Notions whatever she would either know all things while she is here or else she would have while here Innumerable Ideas or Materials of Knowledge which never come to be Excited and so are perfectly Useless Which makes the Immediate Act of the First Being which Infus'd them Frustraneous and to no purpose For their own Principles must force them to confess those Ideas which shall never be Excited cannot in that case either serve for Reasoning Contemplation nor Outward Action and therefore the Imbuing the Mind with them here is Preposterous Suâ—…ous and to no end 35. 'T is equally Groundless and Unphilosoâ—…cal in many regards to affirm That the Soul cannot Elicit Ideas out of her self from many heads 〈…〉 the Soul has a Power to Eliâ—… or Produce such Ideas in her â—… upon Occasion of such an Imâ—…ssion made on the Senses For â—… the Reasons given above I mean those â—…hich have been produced § 28 29 30 32. â—… in a manner equally disprove such Ideas â—…se which are properly Innate Secondly 〈…〉 impossible to show by their Grounds any Natural Connexion between that Impression on the â—…ve and the Production of such or such an 〈…〉 nor as far as I can see do they so much 〈…〉 pretend to show how this Effect does ex naâ—…a rei spring from that Cause For 't is conâ—… that the Stroke on the Nerve and the Idea which starts up when it is made there are utterly Unlike one another By which lame account any kind of Impression provided it be Unlike may occasion the Production of any Idea whatever and therefore there would be no Reason why 〈…〉 particular Impression more than another made 〈…〉 the Body should concur any way no not so much as a sutable Occasion to the Production of any particular Idea at all Thirdly Hence they make this Impression on the Nerve to be only an Occasion that is a kind of Conditio sine quâ non and not any sort of Cause contrary to the whole Intention and End of all Philosophy which is to refund Effects into their Proper Causes Fourthly They put the Soul which is of an Indivisible nature to Act upon it self and to be the Sole Cause of such an Idea which is against divers Principles confining upon Self-evidence and easily reducible to it Such as are Nothing that is meerly iâ— Power to such an Effect can reduce st self to Act. Nothing Indetermin'd can produce a Determinate Effect Nothing can change it self An Indivisible Entity cannot work upon it self A Thing in Rest cannot move it self Or in a word the Whole Course of Causes consisting in this that One Thing which is in Act it self is to work upon Another which is in Power to receive that Act is by this Extravagant Doctrine made Needless Absurd and Incoherent 36. Corollary XII From what 's Deduc't above it follows that that Position of That the Position which makes the Soul and Body Two Things hinders the Right Explication of Christian Faith the Cartesians which makes the Soul and Body in Man to be Duae Res or Two Things does not seem to sute well with Christian Faith For since Cartesius does therefore make them Two Things because he finds them to be of Different Natures 't is Evident that he does not Distinguish between the Notion of the Thing which has the Nature in it and of the Nature which is in the Thing or is had by it Whence follows that whereever and whenever there are those two Distinct Natures there must also be two Distinct Things But the Second Person of the Trinity will ever retain the Humanity of Christ and the Humanity of Christ will ever consist of the Corporeal and Spiritual Natures call'd Soul and Body therefore there will ever be according to this Doctrine two distinct Things in the Humanity of Christ-Again since these Two Natures in Christ's Humanity which they call Two Things are Individually or Numerically such and an Individual Thing is the same as a Suppositum the Followers of this Doctrine must hold there are Two Suppositums in Christ according to his Humanity Wherefore since 't is a Fundamental of Christian Faith that there is also in Christ the Divine Suppositum they must be forced to put three Suppositums in Christ GOD and MAN which is strange Language in Christianity Nor will it avail them to alledge that the Divine Personality by Assuming Humane Nature sâ—pplies the Subsistence of both those Natures for this takes not away the Distinction of the Two Natures in the Humanity wherefore if whereever there are two Natures there must be Two Things and those in our case Individually such of force there will remain two Individual Things that is Two Supposita in Christ's Humane Nature and consequently Three in all Whence since Verum vero non contradicit the Christian Tenet of but One Suppositum in Christ being True the Cartesian Doctrine that the Soul and Body in Man are two Things because they are of such Different Natures must needs be False and our main Tenet that the Soul and Body in Man do make but One Thing is both Evident to Reason and Consonant to Faith and to the Creed of St. Athanasius 37. Corollary XIII Hence also it follows from this Thesis of the Cartesians that every Individual Man in This Tenet makes overy Man to be a Monstrous Chimera the World is a Perfect Chimera nay a more Monstrous one than a Hircoceruus a Centaur or any other we use to Instance in For since all Created Beings are either Pure Acts or Compounded of Power and Act that is Matter and Form by Ch. 1. § 33. and the Word Thing signifies What 's Capable of Existing and therefore Two Things must be Capable of Diverse Existences and if they exist actually must actually have Two Existences It follows that the Soul and Body even in this State they have here must have actually Two Diverse Existences Again since their Nature the one being Corporeal the other Incorporeal are far more Distant and more vastly Different than a Goat and a Stag or any other Natures amongst Bodies to clap two such Things thus actually distinct under the Notion of Thing and Existing thus Distinct into One Species call'd MAN makes all the Individuals under that Species to be Chimerical nay greater Chimera's than is a Compound made of any two Things in Nature which are of divers Corporeal Species and exist actually by distinct Existences as a
Unity and consequently her Entity Secondly Because Matter is the only Power to become a New Ens and consequently the only Principle of Corruption or Mortality that is of Mutation according to the Notion of Entity as has been demonstrated Ch. 1. § 19. Lastly Because for what reason Bodies are corruptible viz. Because they are compounded of Matter and Form for the same reason the Soul being Immaterial or a Pure Act is Incorruptible or Immortal So that we may as well deny that Bodies can be Corrupted as affirm that the Soul can die or cease to be either by her own Nature she having no Ground of losing her Being in her own Intrinsecal Constitution nor by the Operation of all Natural Causes because all their Action has Passion answering to it which cannot be produced when there wants the only Passive Principle Matter She can then only lose her Existence by the Omnipâ—â—ence of her Great Creatour working Miracâ—â—ously nor can it be that it should work this unless it be Agreeable to his other Divine Attributes and it has been as yet never shown by any that Annihilation can consist with them but on the contrary it has been shown by us that it is hiâ—hly Repugnant to them See Raillery Deâ—… from Pag. 41. to pag. 52. MEDITATION AT length my Soul after a tedious Iourney of thy Thoughts travelling thro' all the vast Regâ—â—â— of those Inferiour Essences of â—odies thou hast arriv'd at thy That the Nature of our Spiritual part the Soul can only be known by Reflexion and therefore in discoursing of It we must Tâ—anscâ—nd our Senses and Corporeal Phantasms Self Thy Individuation which gâ—â—â— thee thy particular Degree of Rationality is in this State best learn'd from thy Material Compart to whose Pre-existent size and pitch thou wast adjusted but thy Peculiar Nature it self can only be known from the Genius of â—â— Interiour Operations as they proceed from Thee and are Proper to thee But â—ow or by what Vehicle came the Knowledge of those Operations into thy Understanding They are as has been shown at large Immaterial and of a Contrary Nature to Quantitative Beings whence they could not enter by the Senses nor be imprinted as those Natural Notions were which were Directly Stampt in thee Nothing therefore but thy own Reflexion comparing thy Operations with those of Bodies and seeing These to be of a quite Contrary Genius to Those could give thee this knowledge of thy self Which shews that the First Lesson to be learn'd by all those Speculaters who study Thee is that they mâ—â—â— abstract from Fancy and lay aside and transcend all the Objects of our Senses and all Corporeal Phantasms otherwise they can never reach thy Indivisible Essence tke want of knowing which Preliminary Rule has made so many Unskilful Thinkers degrade their own Soul from the Dignity which the Author of Nature has given it and to apprehend it to be Material or Mortal 'T is only the Connexion of Notions the Proper Act of the Comparing Power call'd REASON in which all Formal Truth consists which could elevate thy Thoughts above thâ—se Baser Objects and bring thee to frame a Iust Conception of thy Self Our Body cannot see it 's own Face but by Reflexion from a Looking-glass Nor canst thou gain knowledge of thy Immaterial Essence but by the Spiritual Mirrour of thy own Understanding which Reflects thee upon thy self by considering the nature oF thy own Interiour Acts and how they differ from those which are produced by Bodily Substances Nothing is easier to discern than 't is that all Corporeal Operations are perform'd Part-after Part and therefore have Parts or Quantity in them Nor is any consideration more facil and obvious than to conclude thence that their Subjects are of their own Nature Dissoluble Perishable and if they be Living Things Mortal And I may presume â—â— have seen Demonstrations enow alledg'd to manifest that the Operations of our Soul and of all the Objects as they are in her when she knows them and consequently our Soul her self which is their Subject is of a quite Contrary or rather Contradictory Nature and therefore is Incorporeal Immaterial Unquantitative Indissoluble and Immortal Nay â—â—â— shâ—wn § 4. That the Natural Notions of all 〈…〉 who use even Common Râ—â—â—â—xion does in a manner imbue The Unreasonableness of Atheists â—â— with this Sentiment Which renâ—ers the Atheists void oâ—…ll Excâ—se and giveâ— us just occasion to fear that 't is Perversity of Will and not Weakness of Understanding which makes them disacknowledge it They wâ—â—â—d live like Libertines and at large or as the â—…ure expresses it like Sons of Belial sine jugo â—… placing all their Affections on the Pleasures or â—…ts of this Life they are loath to think there 〈…〉 be any Future State in which they should be 〈◊〉 to an account The Goodness of Rational Nature which their Creatour had given them could not but 〈…〉 and upbraid them that they had deprav'd that Nâ—â—â—â—e and wrong'd the Best Order of the World by â—…centious Debaucheries Wherefore their Thoughts â—â— St. Paul says thus accusing themselves by the â—…inct of the Law writ in their hearts they endeaâ—â—â—â—'d to stifle all those Truths which could put them 〈◊〉 an apprehension of a future reckoning and thence â—â—ey willingly entertain'd the opinion that there being 〈…〉 survivency of the Soul Death would Seal an â—â—â—esty for all their Extravagancies and cancel all â—… Debts And for the same reason they were â—â—th to think there was a GOD who govern'd the â—â—â—ld lest being Just he should severely punish them 〈…〉 abusing the Nature he had given them and for â—…olating the Universal Law of the World which he 〈…〉 establisht But leaving those poor Miscreants as Objects of 〈…〉 Pity after we have charitably What Obligations are incumbent on us who know and acknowledge our Soul to be Immortal â—â—deâ—vour'd to our best Power to â—…ctifie and convince their Reason et us which most concerns us look home to our selves and take care that We to whom God has given the Knowledge or Belief that our Soul is Immoâ—â—al be not beaten with as many stripes as They if we neglect to guide our lives according to that Principle which we profess and acknowledge to be True theâ— which if it be a Truth 't is Self-evident that nothing can more highly or more nearly concern as The more Evident it is the more indispensable obligation it lays upon us to follow it in our Practice and the more Inexcusable we shall be if we neglect that Duty Our own Clear Reason has shown as that our Soul it being of a Spiritual Nature or â— Pure Act is Superiour and in the Heraldry â—â— Being of a far Nobler Extraction than is all tâ—â— Great Heap of Rubbish Matter and therefore iâ— of more Intrinsick worth than all this Visible Worlâ— Not an Operation of thine not an Object that is â—â— thy Knowing Power but if well reflected on infoâ—â— us clearly
Definition of True Religion for Eternal Happiness This is evident Because all the Maxims Means Motives and Methods of True Religion do either immediately or remotely tend to that End 23. On the contrary and for the same Reason those Unhappy Souls which at their Separation have their First From the same Principle is Demonstrated that To depart â—hâ—nce with a Contrary Disposition or a First Affection for any Creature will torment the Soul with most Unspeable Grief and Anguish Affection placed on some False or Temporary Good v. g. on Aiery Honour Ambitious Greatness Corporeal Pleasure or Sordid Riches will as soon as they are out of the Body be in a State of Intolerable Grief and most Horrid Torment For as is already prov'd § 20. they can never obtain their True Last End to which Nature does now give them most Violent Propensions because they want the Disposition Proper for it or rather by not loving it as they ought but having Chosen another False End in stead of it and Loving that above all things that is above It they are utterly Indispos'd for it which Disposes or Entitles them to that Eternal Pain call'd Poena Damni or Damnation which is the loss of ever seeing GOD. Nor yet can they get or enjoy those Temporary or False Goods which they did here and must now unchangeably or for ever chiefly if not only dote upon the Loss of which affects them with that Tormenting Grief call'd Poena Sensûs or the Pain which arises from the want of an ill-chosen Temporary Last End So that they have lost and are left destitute of all they can possibly wish they have their Wills crost in every thing and this for all Eternity which fills their whole Soul with most Unspeakable and Unconceiveable Anguish 24. The State of Separation Elevates the Soul to an Incomparable and in a manner an Infinite Perfection of The State of Separation Elevates the Soul to an Incomparably higher Perfection of Existence she being then a Pure Act than she had here Existence above that which she had in the Body For as was prov'd lately she is now a Pure Act knows all Created things comprehends Time and Place perfectly sees all her former Thoughts and Actions and this all at once Nay when Separated she is Capable if due Dispositions be put to see the Divine Essence which none can see and live 25. Therefore all her Modes or Accidents and particularly the Affections she had here are elevated in a vast Wherefore it does consequently Elevate the Activity of all her Powers and particularly the Acts of her Will her Affections to an Unconceiveable Intenseness and Vehemency above what she had while in the Body proportion as far as the State of Separation can heighten them that is to an Unconceiveable degree of Intenseness For her Modes are only her Knowledges and her Affections how vastly her Knowledge is increast and extended is already prov'd and her Affections which spring from her Knowledge and are proportion'd to them must necessarily be increast accordingly and this out of the force and nature of her Separated State So that put case the Affections she had here for a Temporary Good was as we say ad unum and the Love she had for her Eternal Good was ad centum and that the State of Separation rais'd that Affection ut mille which as appears by these Grounds is but a weak expression it would follow that the Soul when Separated would be found loving her Eternal Good a hundred thousand times more than she lov'd that Temporary one which would make her fly with a most ravishing Transport to be united with her Chief Good if that Temporary Affection does not indispose her 26. Wherefore those Wretched Souls which part from the Body with Love of Created and Temporal Goods Hence the Poena Damni for the Loss of the Sight of GOD and the Poena Sensus for the Loss of the Temporal False Good she here dâ—ted on in a wicked Soul are Unspeakable and plunge her in a HELL of Misery Their sad Condition describ'd above the Increated Infinite and Eternal one especially those who by Supernatural Light had a higher Knowledge of GOD than Nature could have given them must necessarily by means of the Elevation of their Affections in their Separate State have their Torments increast to a Hell of Misery For since the State of Separation exalts the Soul and consequently the Knowledges and Affections she had in the Body to an incompatable pitch above what they were here and Every Thing operates as it is It follows That the Pain and Sorrow they have for the Loss of what they thus Affected and on which they had set their whole hearts must in a manner infinitely exceed any Sorrow they could possibly have had in this life Besides they have this Surcharge of Torture that their Contrary and ever Unreâ—â—actable and Irreconcileable Judgments tear the Soul in pieces as it were within her self and make her become her own Torment The Natural Love of her True Last End and much â—ore if it were formerly known also Supernaturally carries her with a Violent Bent towards that which he sees now is her only-True Happiness and at the same time the far stronger Torrent of her Affections for that False Last End which she had here with a full Deliberation and long-frequented Practice made Choice of and pursu'd for her Summum Bonum hurries her with a Madness of Transport and an impetuosity equal to the inconceiveable activity she is now endow'd with to enjoy them tho' at the same time she sees them impossible to be had and withall most Base Vile and below her Nature if they were had and yet as Base as they are she must as her condition now is ever affectionately hug the Thoughts and Wish of them tho' she sees this Affection for them is her Torment and the true Cause of all her Endless Misery Add that they have and must have these racking Convulsions of their Mind all at once without hopes of the least Intermission for all Eternity Lastly Those Souls comprehending now all Time and Place their Affections work accordingly So that whereas in this Life they confin'd their Wishes to enjoy those False Goods in some one time or place or some one Circumstance they now long vehemently to enjoy All of them which are sutable to such an Affection in every part of Time and every particular Place nay they wish to subordinate all the whole Creation to attain that False Last End which they had unfortunately chosen and must now for ever dote upon Which being impossible as the Course of Causes now stand it follows that every Creature in the world crosses them and is their Torment according to that saying Pugnabit orbis terrarum contra insensatos So that their whole never-ending Life if it may be call'd so is wholly made up of Distracting Madness Furious Rage Self-racking Contrary Wishes tearing their own Bowels Heart-gnawing
Regret Shameful Confusion Fruitless Repentance Black Desperation Cursings of themselves and all Creatures Blasphemings of the Holy Saints and of their Dread Creatour and Just Judge GOD Blessed for evermore Or as our B. Saviour in accommodation to our greatest Griefs here moderately expresses it Weeping and Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth The Gnawing Worm of Helpless Remorse â—ever dies there nor is the Vehement Fire of these Violent and Contrary Affections ever quenched Quis poterit habitare cum igne devorante Quis habitabit cum ardoribus sempiternis Isaiae Cap. 33. 14. 27. Hence is seen That GOD damns no Man For since by § 23. Inordinate Affection for Creatures addicts the Soul to a wrong Last End and at the GOD Damns no Man same time by doing so does Inâ—â—pose her for her True Happiness the Sight of GOD which she cannot when Separated but Naturally desire and long for and these Inordinate Affections if Unretracted here do still remain in the Soul by § 4. and when Separated she is Unchangeable in that State and consequently sees she must for ever Despair of â—â—taining her True Good she being Impure and Inâ—ispos'd for it and also of ever getting that False Good upon which she had here set her Chief Affection because it is impossible according to the Circumstances of things in the other Life and that hence she becomes incapacitated of having any kind of Good she can desire but has her Desire and Wish crost in every thing And the perpetual crossing her Voluntary and Natural Wishes in every thing especially in what 's of Infinite Concern to her must naturally cause in such a Soul Extreme Grief Torment and Desperation And this Tormenting Grief is enhanced by the Intenseness and Vehemency of her Acts when she is a Pure Spirit with which the greatest and most violent Grief in this life bears no proportion Lastly since it has been clearly shown that all these dismal Effects which induce and make up that wretched State we call Damnation do as is here shown spring originally as from their Sole Cause from her having by her own Free Choice pitchâ— her First Affections upon some Created or False Good and all the other bad Consequences do follow out of the very Nature of a Spirit thus Affected or Indispos'd It is manifest That GOD Damns no Man but that while a Sinner hugs and cherishes Inordinate Affections for Creatures in his Breast he is all the while connaturally kindling and adding Fuel to Hell-Fire in his own Soul to which effect of Damnation GOD contributes no otherwise than by preserving the Natures of things and carrying on the Course of Causes according to those Natures which Wisest Method he has no reason to alter miraculously for their sakes who have preferr'd a Creature before Him 28. It may be objected that these Affections for Creatures were Passions which either Spring from the Body or The Knowing all Truths Speculatively in the State of Separation does not alter the Predominant Affection for Creatures As the Tree falls so it lies from the Circumstances of the former World and therefore they do not remain in a State where neither of them have any Influence upon the Soul I Answer First That these are not Passions in our future State as that word imports Motion but they are far worse viz. the Termini or Effects of the most steadily fixt and worst Passion which we call Resolvedness in ill or Willfulness And this can and must remain in a Soul determin'd to a wrong Last End she having tho' no Motion of the Spirits or Passion a Power in her call'd a Will of it 's own Nature indeed determinable to Good and Bad but by her State of Separation fixt unchangeably in that Determination which she dy'd with Secondly Tho' those Passions did indeed spring here from our Material Compart the Body yet they did not stay in that Part but affected by means of material Impressions the Soul and were â—â—t in her by a deliberate and serious pitching her Chief Affections on them nay perhaps rivetted there by long-continu'd Habits and therefore they must still remain in her for ever unless they had been Retracted while she was in a Changeable condition in this Life 29. Corollary XI Hence one Actual Sin of a high Nature and done with Hence one Enormous Actual Sin Unrepented renders a Soul liable to Eternal Damnation perfect Deliberation of which the Man dies Unrepentant will make the Soul miscarry eternally such as are Self-Murther being kill'd in a Duel for a Puntilio and such like 30. It may be said that the Knowledge of all Truths will rectifie and alter the Soul as soon as she is separated That the State of Separation does not alter the First Affection of Souls farther demonstrated in regard that she sees then clearly the Vileness and Perniciousness of placing her Affection on a wrong Last End 'T is Answer'd First That the Soul as soon as Separated knows all Truths only Speculatively but that the Practical Judgments or Affections which had prepossest her as has been prov'd § 17. do more sway with her than all her Speculative Knowledge which her Choice did not give her but Nature forced into her Secondly There could be no Cause which was Competent to alter her Not her Separation For the whole Effect of that Action is to Divide the Potential Parts of a Compound that is to take from them the State of Potentiality and make them if they can exist separate Actual Wholes Actual Parts as it has been demonstrated being Impossible Wherefore Death being only the Separation of the Soul and Body terminates it's Agency in making them Two of One and has no Influence upon changing them Nor does their State of Separation or their remaining or becoming Separate alter their Natures or their Modes for this consists in the Soul 's existing now A Pure Act which has nothing to do with taking away what she had but only taking her as it found her to elevate her such as she was and consequently those Knowledges and Affections she actually had to a higher Perfection in the Line of Ens or to give her to exist after a Nobler manner than she did formerly Lastly Were this so the Order of the World would be quite perverted for in that case the Wickedest Livers would have equal Priviledge and Benefit in the next world as the greatest Saints since each of them as is presuppos'd to our question knowing all things as soon as Separated their Wickedness would be corrected and effaced which takes away all the dread of Hell evacuates all the Motives to good Life and even destroys the Notion of Virtue and Vice Punishment and Reward and consequently GOD's Attribute of Justice 31. Corollary XII Hence is seen that Sin does not consist meerly in the Hence Sin does not formally consist in the Falsity of the Practical Iudgment or Affection but in the Disproportion and Inordinateness of it Falshood of
our Speculative Judgments but in the Disproportion of our Practical Judgments or Affections for a Temporary Good above the Degree of Affection it has for Eternal Goods For it may be a Truth that the Objects of Sin were Agreeable to the Man in this Mortal State especially taking him as thus circumstanced which made him apply his Thoughts only to them and by that means he came to conceit strongly the Good he found in them and so by oft-repeated Acts he came to beget in his Soul Unattentive and Unapply'd to other Goods which were incomparably Greater vast Practical Iudgments impelling him to act for them and pursue them or which is the same by a long Converse with them he got a strong Addiction to them and most ardent Affection for them But the reason why he came to fall into such Pernicious Sin was because he did not to the same degree apply his Thoughts to Eternal Goods nor so carefully and studiously consider the incomparable Excellency of them as he did the Trifling Good of the others Which had he done as he ought it would have bred in him such solidly-grounded and strong Iudgments and Affections for Heaven that it would have corrected either wholly or to a high degree the Affections to Creatures The Falshood then which may have accompany'd the Practical Judgments of a Sinful Soul will be corrected in the State of Separation because she knows then all Created Truths and Truth and Falshood they being Contradictions and therefore opposite to the Notion of Being the only Object of our Understanding cannot consist together in an Intellectual Substance but the Predominancy or over-proportion of the Practical Judgment or Affection to Creatures whether it proceed from Falshood or as it does generally and perhaps always from a more frequent and more hearty Application of the Soul to Creatures does and must ever remain in her and withall the consequent Sad Effects mention'd in case the Man dies with those Bad prevalent Judgments Unretracted 32. Hence all those Knowledges whether Physical Moral Mathematical Metaphysical Theological or of From the former Principles it follows that all those several Kinds of Knowledges we had here will be Elevated to an Unmeasurable Excess in the State of Separation what kind soever they be in which the Man had particularly cultivated his Soul here will in the State of Separation be Elevated to a very Deep or Proportionable Penetration of the Objects of those Sciences in the State of Separation whence a peculiar Accidental Satisfaction is by the Design of Nature apt to accrue to every such well-employ'd Soul whatever But with this Distinction that those Souls which are Good besides what Natural Means gives them will have a particular Content or Accidental Joy in seeing the Supreme Reasons for the Truth of those respective Sciences in the First Cause Whereas in the Wicked they only serve to exâ—… a more vehement Thirst of seeing the Highest Grounds of their Truth in the First Truth it self â—â—â— Original Author of all Being which avails â—â—â—m nothing but to increase their Grief and Torment 33. From the same Principles 't is clearly deduced that all the Virtuous and 〈…〉 Affections which Good Hence also all the Virtuous Affections which good Souls had here for Friends Relations and Acquaintances will remain in the Next Life and make them ardently wish and pray for their Salvation â—â—â—â—â— had for Friends Relations â—â—â— Acquaintances in this world 〈◊〉 remain in them after Death â—â—â— that too in a higher meaâ—â—â—â— and affect them more heartâ—â— than they did here Whence â—â—ey cordially wish and pray for 〈…〉 Progress in the way to True â—â—â—piness They are Glad when 〈…〉 do well are Sorry if their 〈◊〉 would permit it when we Sin at least have â—…cidental Joy than they would have had if 〈…〉 liv'd virtuously Which Propension 〈…〉 Natural or Acquir'd here is exceedingâ—â— enhanced by true Charity in which Best of â—…ues they do now abound more than we are 〈◊〉 to conceive They take it kindly that we 〈◊〉 for the Consummation of their Bliss and â—â—â— the Coming of Christ's Kingdom when the New Hierusalem the Church Militant and Triumphant joyn'd in one Body shall without the least spot or wrinkle of Vice or Imperfection and Adorn'd with the Lustrous Gems of the Purest Virtues descend from Heaven like a Bride to meet her Spouse and Saviour They require our Devout Wishes with their Powerful Prayers Particularly they rejoyce at any Good of ours to which themselves have been Instrumental The same Joy have all those B. Saints Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgins and with them the Holy Angels also when we keep their Festivals to the end that we may Honour their Virtues follow their Instructions imitate their Holy Lives obsequiously comply with their good Inspirations Repent our Sins and improve in Virtue The same do those Good Souls departed in an Inferiour â—â—gree of Grace who as most hold need our Prayers and Oblations They are glad and have Ease and Refreshment by knowing that we have not forgot them as Worldlings do who love for petty ends but that we dutifully and charitably remember to pray for their Deliverance and Final Happiness By which Doctrine we see how that Article of our Creed the Communion of Saints is explicated maintain'd and shown agreeable to Reason by Metaphysical Principles Nay even the Damned in Hell retain a Natural Affecâ—â—â—â— for their surviving Friends and Relations as appears by Dives his Request to Abraham that he would send to warn his Brethren to beware â—â— coming into his place of Torment 34. It may be thought that all these Particuâ—â—rs are said gratis because to That each Particular Deduced here is Demonstrable by the Principles laid formerly Shown by repeating those Principles avoid Prolixity I have not apply'd each of them to it 's Proper â—inciples But if it shall please any â—â—ponent to challenge me with â—â—y Flaw in this Discourse or â—â—etend to show that they are â—â—t well-grounded I shall not â—â—ubt but to demonstrate them from the Prinâ—â—â—les already fore-laid and fore-prov'd viz. That our Soul is Immortal That when out of the â—ody she is a Pure Act and of a Superiour nature 〈◊〉 Body That in that State she knows all Natural 〈◊〉 and is Unchangeable That she remains 〈…〉 the same Affections which she had in her 〈…〉 were unretracted when the Man died 〈…〉 that they are most exceedingly heighten'd 〈…〉 State of Separation Lastly That those â—…violent Affections and Unretractable in that 〈…〉 have conformable Effects issuing from them 〈…〉 â—eavenly Joy Hellish Sorrow or penallyâ—…â—â—ded Hope 35. Corollary XII From this whole Discourse is naturally and necessarily deduc'd Wherefore there is not the least Thâ—ught Word or Action Good or Bad which we ever had or did in this Life but will have it â— Corsequent and Proper Effect Adjusted and Proportion'd to it in the Next this Corollary as a Summary of all that has been said hitherto
defeat all the Opâ—â—ion that can be made against it 10. Corollary I. Our foregoing Discourses being chiefly built on that piece of Doctrine in my Method This Doctrine being built on that Logical Maxim All Differences are more and less of the Generical Notion The Consideration of that Thesis is recommended to the Reader B. I. L. 3 § 2. that all Intrinsecal or Essential Differences in any Predicament or under whatever Notion are nothing else but More and Less of that Notion therefore since so much stress is put upon this Thesis I beg of my Readers to peruse attentively the Third Chapter of my Method to Science my Ideae Cartesianae Expensae Pag. 51 52 53. and Raillery Defeated § 72. where this Position is at large explicated and defended against the Mistakes of my Opposers Which I do the rather Request because however it may seem New yet I dare affirm that besides it 's being perfectly Demonstrable no one Rule in Logick is more Useful to keep our Notions Distinct or to frame Right Definitions or to Discourse solidly or exactly 11. Corollary II. What 's deduc'd here of the very Essences of things being intellectually or as Objects in the This holds equally in the Soul which is of a Spiritual Nature Understanding of an Angel does for the same reason hold in every Spiritual or Cognoscitive Nature and consequently in the Soul whether in the Body or Separated the Argument being grounded on the Nature of a Spirit and it 's being Superiour to the Nature of Body 12. Corollary III. For the same reason what has been discourst before of the Angels being Pure Acts are Immutable Immutability of a Soul while Separated and of her Final or Eternal State springing from her Choice of a wrong Last End if unretracted before Death may Mutatis Mâ—tandis be apply'd to an Angel without needing Repetition or farther Enlarging upon it 13. Since the Essence or Nature of an Angel is to be after such a manner Cognoscitive the Distinction of Angels The Distinction of Angels is taken from their being more or less Cognoscitive after their manner must consist in their being more or less thus Cognoscitive This is already Demonstrated because by the Doctrine lately given all the Intrinsecal or Essential Differences under whatever Kind or Notion are nothing but more or less of the Common Notion or the partaking of it unequally 14. Yet this Degree of Cognoscitiveness which â—â—â—â—itutes Distinct Angels must This is not to be understood of the greater Extent of their Knowledge but of the Intenseness or Penetrativeness of it understood of the Intenseness â— their Knowledge or the Penetrativeness of their Knowing Poâ—â— For since every Pure Act â—â—is shown above and particuâ—â—â— Raillery Defeated P. 89 90. â—â—ws All things it cannot be understood of the Extent of their Knowledge or that one of them knows a Greater Number of things than Another It must therefore be meant â—â— One of them knows things more perfectly â—â—â— clearly thorowly or deeply than Another â—â—â— Which as may be seen in my Ideae Cartesianae P. 68 69. may spring from two Causes Oâ— Because Eorum aliqui magis perspicaâ—i Intelâ—â—â— acie praediti sunt quà m alii which seems â—â— be most Essential to them The Other Because by their seeing better the First Cause it self they must better and withal more solidly and â—â—â—ndedly know those Effects that spring â—â—â—m that Supreme Cause 15. Corollary IV. From this Greater or Lesser Excess of Knowledge as thus explicated as far as Natural Hence as far as Reason carries us is taken the Distinction of the Three Hierarchies and Nine Quires of Angels Reason carries us are taken the Diverse Orders of Angels All farther or more particular Disquisition concerning the Three Hierarchies and Nine Quires of Angels is left to Divines gathering them from Holy Writ and the Antient Mysticks A Philosopher must step no farther than he can tread sure upon his own Firm Grounds 16. Corollary V. From our Discourse about Human Souls and Angels will be seen in what different manner The different manner by which Angels and Human Souls come to have all their Knowledge and by what means an Angel and a Humane Soul when Separate come to know all things The Later by Notions caus'd at first by Impressions on the Senses and improv'd into Iudgments and Discourses The Former by Knowledge not Acquir'd but Innate The First and Immediate Objects of both of them is Themselves or their own Essence Whence a Soul in regard it's Body and consequently the Determination of the Degree of Rationality it had grew as it were out of Natural Causes knows all things as first Connected with her self then with one another in the well-linkt Chain of those Causes in which there can be no Flaw or Interruption But an Angel knows all Things by Transcending from one Ens or one Degree of Entity to another and this Intuitively that is an Angel by knowing it self knows what place it bears in the Order of Angels or Spirits And since it could not know it 's own particular pitch or Individuality but by knowing how high or low it is in the Order of Angelical Beings nor could this be known but by knowing the whole Order because in an Order which is contriv'd after the best manner each part is proportion'd in exact Symmetry to the rest Hence the Knowledge of that whole Order and consequently of each part of it or each Entity in the whole Creation is Due to it's Nature and therefore is given it As for the Knowledge of Corporeal Nature 't is below them both and therefore both of them comprehends it Knowingly as is deduced above Lastly The Soul gains her Knowledge by Abstract or Inadequate Notions and by Discourse whereas an Angel knows at once the Whole Entities and all that belongs to them and this not by Discourse or Reflex Thoughts but by a Direct Penetrative and Comprehensive Intuition 17. There is besides those Differences amongst Angels mention'd § 13. 14. and Câ—roll V. Another arising from These Angels have a Nobler Essence whose each Act of Knowledge has for it's Object a Greater Portion of the Universe the several Degrees or rather Manners of that Cognoscitiveness which is Essential to them viz. That some of them know more things by One Operation or Act of Knowledge or as it were by one Thought than Another does which happens because the Object of each Thought which some of them have is more Universal than are the Objects of those Thoughts that others have Parallels of which may be found among our several Sorts of Knowers or Philosophers here Some treat of such particular Sorts of Quantities or Figures Others of Quantity or Figure in their whole Latitude or iâ— Common Some Philosophers have for the Objects of their Knowledge such a sort of Ens as Minerals or such a Species of Birds or Beasts Others raise their Thoughts to contemplate Body or
are not in reality Passive by receiving them having no Passive Principle or Matter in them Thus the Essences of all Creatures did Inexist in the Divine Understanding from Eternity Yet none will say this infers any Passiveness in GOD. Indeed while our Soul is in this State she as being the Form of the Body is thence in some sort Passive because the Suppositum the Man is such but when she is a Pure Spirit her Knowledges are not then beat into her as it were by so many dints of the Object but are in her purely by the Formal Inexistence of all Created Truths in one another By which is sâ—en that for the Object Known to be thus in the Knower after the manner of a Form argues no Imperfection in either of them and therefore is with good reason Transferrible to GOD. Perhaps some may think that the subject is in this case a kind of Matter in respect of the Form and that this argues Imperfection But they err in the whole business a â—orm that aduenes to a Material Subject and Intrinsecally Determines it as Modes or Accidents do does indeed induce Imperfection for it smells rank of Materiality or Corporeity but it is quite otherwise here For Modes or Accidents have no Being but by means of their Subject whereas the Things which are known by us have their own proper Existence out of our Soul notwithstanding the Intellectual Manner of Being they have in it Their Essences and that which is in them are â—ngrafted on her Nobler Stock of Being not as an Intrinsecal part of its peculiar Nature to which they owe their Being but as Another thing or as Distinct from it so that both the peculiar Essences of the One and the Other are the same Essentially and Intrinsecally tho' the being of the Soul is Enlarged and Perfected by having Another Being tackt to it as an Extrinsecal Form or by her being or becoming Another in which as Aristotle and Evident Reflexion tells us all Knowledge consists There is a Conceit current amongst many Philosophers that every Spiritual Operation is an Action and hence they may mean to Transfer such a Spiritual Action to GOD But they are in a great Errour Indeed our Formal Iudging and Discoursing may be call'd Actions because they are found in our Soul while in the Body and have Succession in them being accompanied by the Motion of the Phantasms without which the Soul in this State cannot operate but Pure Acts have no such leasurely progress of their thoughts nor do they Compound or Divide their Notions as we do here but all their Knowledge is by Simple Intuition which has nothing of Succession or Motion in it and therefore this sort of Spiritual Operation only is that which can be Apply'd to GOD the Other which is Part after Part being in some respect Quantitative or Corporeal that iâ— most Imperfect Now if we take away the State of Motion there is no Notion left us but that of Being Whence all Knowledge that is purely-Spiritual must be explicated by Being or the Inexistence of the Object in the Knower as a kind of Form which makes the Knower be that Thing which is known in case the Knower be a Created Being because 't is the Form which according to our Natural Notions constitutes a Thing in Being such or such Whence such an Operation sutes not with our Natural Notion of Action which does necessarily at least connotate Motion but is better exprest by a Neuter-Active Verb such as are Stupeo ardeo and such like which signifie that the Affection of Amazement or Burning is in me as a kind of Accidental Form for 't is in this manner the words I know signifie that the Object is in my Knowledge and therefore such a kind of Inexistence of the Object in the Knower may without scruple be Transferr'd to GOD for 't is our greatest Spiritual Perfection and indeed the very Notion of Knowing so that whoever denies this to be in the Divine Nature must at the same time deny him to be Knowing For these Reasons I do judge that in explicating this Mystery we ought to decline the using any Notions that imply or cannotate Agency and Action and to make use of those which have â—â—e Conception of a Form which constitutes the to be such or such A farther Reason may be because Essence Self-Existence Subsistence Personality which we must necessarily attribute to GOD and indeed all Abstract Words whatever have that manner of Signification 11. Prel XI Because in discoursing of this Mystery we shall only make use of such Notions as belong to the Common Heads of Substance and Relation or rather speaking of it as in GOD of Relatum esse 't is our Duty to set these two Kinds of Notions in as Clear a Light as we can To begin then with Substance A Natural Thing or Ens call'd also an Individuum or Substantia Prima only which do exist in Nature and consequently from which only we have all our Natural Notions does give us these Distinct or Abstracted Conceptions of it To take them in Order and consider in the First place what 's most Potential and Imperfect in a Thing we can conceive that it being Mutable there can another Natural Thing be made of it and therefore that it has in it somewhat by which it has a Power to become Another Thing which Power we call Matter For we call that MATTER of which any Thing is made Now this meer Power to be a Thing cannot be held by Virtue of that Sole Notion to be a Thing since nothing is that which it is only a Power to be and if it be not as thus conceiv'd a Thing it cannot be conceiv'd to have any Accident Mode or which is the same Determination of Thing in it which are Subsequent to the Notion of Thing for all these are apt to Determine the Thing which is against the Notion of a meer Power which is utterly Indeterminate Hence is seen clearly why Aristotle gave this exact Description of this Matter or Power to be viz. That which is Nec Quid nec Quantum nec Quâ—le neque aliquid aliud eorum quibus Ens determinatur Proceeding still forwards we may conceive this Individual Thing according to That in it which so Determines this Power call'd Matter as to Individuate it or so distinguish it as to make it This and no Other Which we have shown in our Metaphysicks is perform'd by such a Complexion of Accidents as is found no where but in It which therefore is it's Substantial or Essential Form whence it becomes properly or in the First Sense of that word a Thing or as Logicians call it an Individuum And because nothing in Common can exist but only what 's thus Ultimately Determin'd it is justly conceiv'd to be Capable of Existing or Possible to be which is to be an Ens or to have in it the Nature or Notion of what we call by that word The
comprehend those Times and Places which are Modes of those Things and consequently Parts of the Entire Notion of those Things themselves that is she must comprehend all Time or Place 8. Corollary I. Hence is demonstrated how great an Errour it is and against Hence her Operations are not measur'd by Time They and their Subject being of a Superiour Nature the Nature of a Pure Act to put the Duration of Pure Spirits to be in some sort Successive and that their Operations and consequently their Existence are measureable by the Differences of Time Before and After whereas they comprehend all Time and are of such a Nature as far transcends it 9. Therefore such a Soul cannot but naturally have an Ardent Longing to know the Nature of the First Cause that Hence she will be Eternally Miserable unless she knows the First Cause GOD. made and order'd those Things For since 't is Essential to the Soul to be Cognoscitive and consequently the whole Bent and only Good of her Nature in that State is to have all the Knowledge she can and must wish and the Knowledge of the Effects does naturally and also vehemently excite and enflame those who are wholly addicted to Knowledge as the Soul naturally is in that State to know the Cause which Created them of Nothing and rang'd them in that most beautiful Order Nay since they do not know those things as they ought without knowing them a priori in their First Cause and how and by what virtue he Created them Again since as was often prov'd the Knowledge of all Created Truths they being Finite cannot in the least fill or satisfie the Natural Desire of the Soul and therefore only the Knowledge of an Infinite Truth can satiate and content her and she cannot but vehemently long to enjoy that which only can satisfie a Propension so â—adicated in her Nature It follows from all these heads that the Knowledge of all Created Truths do serve only to increase her Thirst and to enflame her Desire more ardently and impatiently to know the Nature or Essence of that Infinite and Glorious Source of all Being the First Cause from which issued all those admirable Effects and which she now sees is the Object only worthy of her Knowledge Whence she must look upon her self as utterly lost and unâ—one and remain eternally miserable if she falls short of that only Soul-satisfying Sight 10. From the § § 4 and 5. it follows necessarily that a Soul when Separated is naturally while Separated Hence also she is naturally Unchangeable Unchangeable For besides other Reasons the Notion of Created Ens is adequately Divided by Indivisible and Divisible as by its Differences which are Contradictories Nor is there any thing in the Species but the Notion of the Genus in which they agree and the Notion of the Difference by which they disagree and this in our case contradictorily Hence it follows that whatever is Affirm'd of One of the Species besides the Generical Notion the Contradictory to it must be Affirm'd of the Other Species wherefore as truly and certainly as we can affirm of One of the Species Body that it is Quantitative Divisible has Part after Part and that its Operations are perform'd Successively one after another c. so truly can we affirm of the Other Species Spirit that it is Unquantitative Indivisible has not Part after Part and is not Successive in its Operations in regard none of these relate to the Genus But what has no Successiveness in it cannot be otherwise than it was before or Chang'd Therefore the Soul while it is a pure Spirit is naturally Unchangeable 11. From the same § 5. 't is demonstrated without needing any farther Hence too as soon as Separated she knows all the Thoughts and Affections Words and Actions of her past Life Proof that the Soul when Separated knows and cannot but know all the Words Actions Thoughts and Affections of her whole fore-past Life finding those Later in her Self she her Self being then her own First Immediate and Ever-present Object and the Former in the Course of Causes and in the Circumstances there mention'd Also that she cannot but know the Natural Actions Thoughts c. of others since these also were Effects and had their Causes and so were knowable by her as well as the others Lastly That she must a fortiori know what Good or Bad Dispositions were in her self when she Dy'd they being now Modes or Accidents of her self nor is it possible that a Creature that has Knowledge and Will in it should not even in this dull State know what it self chiefly wishes and desires 12. Corollary 1. Hence is understood how the Particular Iudgment determining the Soul's Future Condition Whence follows the Particular Judgment which determines her Lot at the Hour of Death is made at the Hour of Death and how she comes to Hope or Despair of Eternal Hap piness according as she sees her self Fit or Unfit for it whence she becomes Determin'd to her Final Lot which Fitness or Unfitness is in the Old Language of the Christian Church call'd Merit or Demerit which are the same as Disposition or Indisposition for Bliss only differing in an Extrinsecal Denomination taken from GOD's having Promis'd and Threaten'd the Happy or Unhappy Consequences of Good or Bad Actions 13. Corollary II. Hence also is understood how the Book of Conscience will be laid open at the last Day Hence is understood how the Book of Conscience will be laid open at the last Day when GOD shall reveal abscondita tenebrarum or as the Sybill expresses it Cunctaq cunctorum cunctis arcana patebunt and this after a more Clear and Solemn Manner than meer Nature could have perform'd 14 Corallary III. Hence also we may see why and how Infants are connaturally sav'd by Baptism as And how Infants are connaturally sav'd by Baptism by the most General and Genuine Means For they carry no Dispositions out of the Body but Affections to the Mother's Dug to lie soft and warm and such like which being meerly Natural or rather Animal were too weak and too base to put any thing in them which might raise them in their Future State towards Heaven But when they come into the Region of Light and know all things amongst the rest that they were Baptiz'd in Christ's Name and that that External Action the Impressions and consequently the Notions of which remain yet in their Soul was particularly done upon them and was Ordain'd as a Supernatural Means by Him acting as a Supernatural Agent for their Salvation or to addict them to Him and make them His immediately that Sacrament as others also do working its Effect ex vi Institutionis Christi gives them other Thoughts and Higher Aims than meer Nature could have done makes them conceive Actual Hope and Love of their Good GOD and Saviour and so disposes or fits them at the same Instant for Heaven 15. Corollary
That There is not the least tittle of our whole Life in which we act as Men or with perfect Deliberation of our Reason which is Indifferent or that passes Unregarded by the World 's Infinitely-Wise and Just Governour but that every such Word Action Thought Gesture Look or Wish we ever had and dy'd without altering it will have according as it is well or ill Intended Effects in the other world conformable to it's Nature and to the Degree of it's Goodness or Badness and that each of them will receive with most Just and Exact Proportion Reward or Punishment by the Course of Natural and Supernatural Causes laid and appointed by GOD's Infinite Wisdom for the Eternal Salvation of those who love him and the Eternal Confusion and Perdition of his Enemies MEDITATION WHere art thou now my Soul after thou hast abandon'd and flitted from thy Terrene Habitation and into what strange Ultramundane Region art thou flown The Admirable Excellency of a Soul when Separated and become a Pure Spirit Display'd in an Instant The whole Earth nay all Material Nature seems a contemptible Atome when thou look'st down upon it from the Transcendent Height of Being to which the Wisdom and Goodness of thy Creatour who promotes all his Creatures to those Perfections they art capable of has rais'd thee I see thy Knowledge that is thy Essence stretcht out boyond the Vast Expansion of this Material World's Circumference and our Firmament bespangled with those Starry Bodies which it contains or rather I see them all center'd â—… Spiritual and Indivisible Essence as in a 〈…〉 Orb of Being Thou seest now at one 〈…〉 the Whole Sphere of Time sweeping along 〈…〉 â—â—â— thee or rather thou comprizest it all in 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Natural Thought And canst now 〈…〉 more ease comprehend it 's whole Race than 〈…〉 couldst while here resume thâ—se Fleeting Parts 〈…〉 v. g. an Hour or a Day in t one Steady 〈…〉 in which they were all Present and Permaâ—â—nt at once The whole Bulk of Quantity is in 〈…〉 more Noble Being without Extension and the â—â—ng Course of Motion without Succession But the Extent of thy Actual Knowledge is nothing in comparison of thy Clear Penetration of those Great 〈…〉 Various and Numberless Objects which are now â—…nted to thy view What was here Misty and â—â—â—dy is now the Screen of Matter the Ground â—â— ll Confusedness and Obscurity being taken away 〈…〉 brightly Intelligible with Noon-day Evidence 〈…〉 clearly that if thou hast in this World but â—â—â—prehended or laid hold of any one Piece of the 〈…〉 Link in the Chain of Causes which weaves 〈…〉 one orderly Loom all Natural Truths thou â—â—â—est into thee the whole Length of that Line 〈…〉 the First Birth of the World till it expires inâ—â— Eternity Or rather those Truths are so innext â—…e another by the closest Texture of Identity 〈…〉 if thou admittest any one of them all the rest 〈…〉 â—roud themselves into thy Capacious tho' Spaceâ—… Understanding â—…ow shall we then frame any That there is no Comparison between our Souls Condition here and the State of Separation â—â—â— Conception of the Difference â—…en thy Former and this Future State Or by what parallel â—hall we illustrate it Shall we compare it to the condition of a Child in the Womb on the one side and of a perfect Man grown up to Ripâ— Knowledge on the other Indeed this World is but as it were our Second Womb Nature is deliver'd of Thee and thou art born a Pure Spirit when the Man diâ—s Or Shall we compare these two States to those of a Man first shut up in a dark Tower who can see no Objects about him but when presented before five dim Glasses placed in it's Walls but afterwards when the Tower by some Chance is thrown down and the Man preserv'd unhurt then he can freely range with his Sight all over the large Prospect about him and discover at once the various Scenes of all the vast circumstant Region of which he could before take but a scant obscure and leasurely Survey Both those are but lame Comparisons and far from parallelling the Excess which this New State of thine has above thy Former one Thy Capacity in thy purely-Spiritual Condition does Infinitely that is beyond Proportion go beyond that thou hadst in the Body when it was at it's best Whereas thy Capacity in the other two States that pretended to parallel this being both of them Finite are very easily Proportion'd Wherefore we will leave this Consideration to be seriously and at leasure meditated on by those truly Wise Souls who think it their highest Concern to reflect on their Future State and what Happy or Dismal Consequences attend it according to the Good or Bad Dispositions they contract here and carry with them hence That we may gratefully and humbly acknowledge to whom we owe this Clear Knowledge of our True Last End the That meer Humane Science when at the Height was too short and Impotent to raise Mankind to those Dispositions that fit him for True Happiness Attaining which is our Only and Eternal Happiness Let us consider how far Natural Reason carry'd those Heathen Philosophers who were the Greatest Masters of Human Science in their â—â—â—es and where it stopt The 〈◊〉 Intelligent Followers of Aristoâ—â—â— do gather from his Principles this â—â—â—â—sonant Discourse The Goods of 〈◊〉 Body are preferrable to those â—â— Fortune and the Goods of the 〈◊〉 to those of the Body Wherefore Happiness â—â—st consist in something that in the best manner â—â—â—ects that Part of Man call'd the Soul Now the Powers of the Soul are the Understanding and tâ—â— Will Of which the Understanding is the Noâ—â—â—â— because the Will is naturally ordain'd to be â—â—â—â—ed and Govern'd by the Understanding and 〈◊〉 Act of the Will which the previous Reason 〈◊〉 Understanding does not dictate and warrant â—â—llfulness which is justly held the Greatest â—â—perfection Imaginable Happiness therefore 〈…〉 be sought for in the Best Perfection of the Understanding Farther the Understanding is but a â—â—â—wer and Act is better than Power for it includes 〈◊〉 and adds to it the Acting or Exercise of it â—â—â—ch is the Immediate End for which the Power was â—â—â—n'd Therefore Happiness must consist in some 〈◊〉 Perfect Act of the Understanding Wherefore 〈◊〉 Power and it's Acts taking their Degree of Perâ—â—â—â— from the Clearness of the Sight and from the â—â—â—llency of the Object about which they are emâ—â—â— and the Primum Ens being the most Excellent Object it follows that the Beatitude of Man does 〈◊〉 in the Actual and Clear Knowledge of the First Being which in Christian Language is the seeing GOD face to face or in the Beatifical Vision Thus far their Speculative Thoughts rais'd them But there were other necessary Truths requisite erâ— Man could be Happy which were below their short Reach As First That this Contemplation of the First Being must also be most Durable or never