Idea of a Sphere Cylinder and Pyramid no more is it in any other Idea's with their properties and aptitudes immediately issuing from them but all the Idea's with their inevitable properties aptitudes or ineptitudes are necessarily represented in the Divine Intellect Exhibitive immutably such as they are a Triangle with its three Angles equal to two right ones a right-angled Triangle with the power of its Hypotenusa equal to the powers of the Basis and Cathetus both put together Which things seem necessary to every sober man and rightly in his wits our understanding being an Abstract or Copy of the Divine Understanding But those that say that if God would he might have made the three Angles of a Triangle unequal to two right ones and also the powers of the Basis and Cathetus of a right-angled Triangle unequal to the power of the Hypotenusa are either Buffoons and Quibblers or their Understandings being but creatural huffiness of mind and an ambition of approving themselves the Broachers and maintainers of strange Paradoxes has crazed their Intellectuals and they have already entred the suburbs of down-right Phrensie and Madness And to conclude Out of what has been insinuated we may reconcile this harsh sounding Paradox of our Author that seems so point-blank against the current doctrine of the Metaphysical Schools who make Transcendental Truth to depend upon the Intellectual Truth of God which they rightly deem the Fountain and Origine of all Truth whenas he plainly declares That the Divine Vnderstanding cannot be the Fountain of the Truth of things But the seeming absurdity will be easily wiped away if we take notice of our distinction touching the Divine Understanding quatenus merely conceptive speculative or observative and quatenus necessarily through its own infinite and immutable pregnancie and foecundity Exhibitive of the distinct and determinate Idea's or natures of things with their immediate Properties Respects or Habitudes in their Objective Existence representing them such as they certainly will be if reduced into act His assertion is not to be understood of the Divine Understanding in this latter sense but in the former But being it is one and the same Understanding though considered under this twofold Notion our Author as well as the ordinarie Metaphysicians will agree to this truth in the sense explained That the Divine Understanding is the Fountain of the truth of things and that they are truly what they are as they answer to their Idea's represented in the Exhibitive Intellect of God How the Author himself comes off in this point you will better understand when you have read the fifteenth sixteenth and seventeenth Sections of his Discourse Let this suffice in the mean time for the removing all stumbling-blocks from before the Reader Pag. 168. Nor the foundation of the references one to another that is to say The Divine Understanding quatenus Conceptive or Speculative is most certainly not the Foundation of the references of things one to another but the Divine Understanding quatenus Exhibitive that represents the Idea's or natures of things in their Objective Existence such as they would be if reduced really into act represents therewith all the references and habitudes they have one to another Which habitudes are represented not as flowing from or arbitrariously founded in any Intellect whatsoever but as resulting from the natures of the things themselves that respect one another and are represented in the Exhibitive Understanding of God Which is the main thing that this ingenious Author would be at and such as will serve all his intents and purposes Pag. 168. It is the nature of Vnderstanding ut moveatur illuminetur c. namely of Understanding quatenus Conceptive or Speculative not quatenus Exhibitive Pag. 169. No Idea's or Representations either are or make the things they represent c. This Assertion is most certainly true But yet they may be such Idea's and Representations as may be the measure of the Truth of those things they represent And such are all the Idea's in the Divine Intellect Exhibitive their setled distinct natures necessarily exhibited there in vertue of the absolute perfection of the Deitie though onely in their Objective Existence are the measures of the Truth of those things when they are reduced into act as I have noted above but they are not the things themselves reduced into act no more than an Autographon is the very Copy Ibid. All Vnderstanding is such that is Idea's and Representations of the natures of things in their Objective Existence the Patterns of what and how they are when they Exist and what references and aptitudes they have I suppose he means here by Understanding not any power of the mind to conceive any thing but Understanding properly so called viz. that whose Objects are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Platonists speak the Idea's or Representations of such things as are necessarily and unalterably such not fictions at pleasure Let the Intellect Speculative be such Idea's or Representations as these and then what it perceives conceives or observes it does not make but it is made to its hand as not being able to be otherwise nor it self to think otherwise And therefore it is rightly inferred as follows That no Speculative Understanding in that restrict sense above-named makes at pleasure the natures respects and relations of its Objects represented in the Intellect Exhibitive in their Objective Existence but finds them there Nor does any Intellect whatsoever make them at pleasure but they are necessarily and unalterably represented in the Exhibitive Intellect of the Deitie both their natures respects and habitudes as I noted above Sect. 5. pag. 169. It remains then that absolute arbitrarious and independent Will must be the Fountain of all Truth c. It being supposed that the Divine Understanding and the independent Will of God are the onely competitours who should be the Fountain of all Truth and the former Section proving in a sense rightly understood that the Divine Understanding cannot be the Fountain of Truth it remains that the mere Will of God should be the Fountain of Truth and that things are true onely because he wills they be so As if four bore a double proportion to two because God would have it so but if he would that Two should bear a double proportion to Four it would immediately be so Ibid. Which Assertion would in the first place destroy the nature of God c. Nay if he will it destroys his very Existence For if all Truths depend upon Gods Will then this Truth That God Exists does And if he will the contrary to be true namely That he does not Exist what becomes of him then Ibid. And rob him of all his Attributes That it robs him of Science and assured Knowledge whose Objects are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things immutable and necessary this Section makes good And that it despoils him of his Rectitude of Nature the Eighth Section will shew Pag. 170.
with the Divine Attributes pag. 3 Chap. 3. 2 Traduction of Souls is impossible the reason for it weak and frivolous The proposal of Praeexistence pag. 16 Chap. 4. 1 Praeexistence cannot be disproved Scripture saith nothing against it It 's silence is no prejudice to this Doctrine but rather an Argument for it as the case standeth Praeexistence was the common opinion of our Saviour's times How probably it came to be lost in the Christian Church pag. 27 Chap. 5. Reasons against Praeexistence answered Our forgetting the former state is no argument to disprove it Nor are the other Reasons that can be produc'd more conclusive The proof of the possibility of Praeexistence were enough all other Hypotheses being absurd and contradictious But it is prov'd also by positive Arguments pag. 45 Chap. 6. A second Argument for Praeexistence drawn from the consideration of the Divine Goodness which alwayes doth what is best pag. 51 Chap. 7. The first Evasion that God acts freely and his meer will is reason enough for his doing or forbearing any thing overthrown by four Considerations Some incident Evasions viz. that Gods Wisdom or his glory may be contrary to this display of his goodness in our being made of old clearly taken off pag. 55 Chap. 8. A second general Evasion viz. that our Reasons cannot tell what God should do or what is best overthrown by several considerations As is also a third viz. that by the same Argument God would have been obliged to have made us impeccable and not liable to Misery pag. 61 Chap. 9. A fourth Objection against the Argument from Gods goodness viz. That it will conclude as well that the World is infinite and eternal Answered The conclusion of the second Argument for Praeexistence pag. 71 Chap. 10. A third Argument for Praeexistence from the great variety of mens speculative inclinations and also the diversity of our Genius's copiously urged If these Arguments make Praeexistence but probable 't is enough to gain it the Victory pag. 74 Chap. 11. Great caution to be used in alledging Scripture for our speculative opinion The countenance that Praeexistence hath from the sacred writings both of the Old and New Testament Reasons of the seeming uncouthness of these allegations Praeexistence stood in no need of Scripture-proof pag. 82 Chap. 12. Why the Author thinks himself obliged to descend to some more particular Account of Praeexistence The presumption positively to determine how it was with us of old The Authors design in the Hypothesis that follows pag. 90 Chap. 13. Seven Pillars on which the particular Hypothesis stands 94 Pillar 1. All the Divine designs and actions are laid and carried on by pure and infinite Goodness pag. 95 Pillar 2. There is an exact Geometrical Justice that runs through the Vniverse and is interwoven in the contexture of things pag. 97 Pillar 3. Things are carried to their proper place and state by the congruity of their natures where this fails we may suppose some arbitrary managements pag. 100 Pillar 4. The Souls of men are capable of living in other bodies besides Terrestrial And never act but in some body or other pag. 102 Pillar 5. The Soul in every state hath such a body as is fittest for those faculties and operations that she is most inclined to exercise pag. 105 Pillar 6. The powers and faculties of the Soul are either 1 Spiritual and intellectual or 2 Sensitive or 3 Plastick pag. 107 Pillar 7. By the same degrees that the higher powers are invigorated the lower are consopited and abated as to their proper exercises and è contra pag. 108 Chap. 14. A Philosophical Hypothesis of the Souls Praeexistence 113 Her Aethereal State The Aereal State pag. 102 The Terrestrial State pag. 122 The next step of Descent or After-state pag. 126 The Conflagration of the Earth pag. 137 The General Restitution pag. 142 THE ERRATA Correct thus In Lux Orientalis For Read PAg. 9. lin 6. For * For. pa. 61. l. 3. Reasons Reason p. 78. l. 1. his this p. 126. l. 6. course coarse In the Annotations pag. 34. l. 28. promptus promptos p. 38. l. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 45. l. 12. tye lye p. 51. l. 5. Plaistick Plastick p. 53. l. 7. Zoophiton's Zoophyton's p. 54. l. 29. Unluckly Unlucky p. 56. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 62. l. 19. other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 74. l. 8. property properly p. 80. l. 2. doors for doors for ibid. l. 21. properly property p. 84. l. 2. fitted sited ibid. l. 21. restore resolve p. 94. l. 15. vigorous rigorous p. 95. l. 8. this humane his humane p. 101. l. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 104. l. 28. corporeal incorporeal p. 106. l. 13. alledged alledge p. 113. l. 20. Psychopanychites Psychopannychites ibid. l. 31. to two p. 119. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 144. l. 23. ante Interiisse ante â—â—â—â—â—â—sse p. 184. l. 26. Nymphs Nymph p. 209. l. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 238. l. 26. slawes flawes p. 255. l. 11. sesquealtera sesquialtera p. 265. l. 3. the steady their steady p. 268. l. 10. to those so those p. 275. l. 2. Heaven's Haven's LUX ORIENTALIS CHAP. I. The opinions proposed concerning the original of Souls IT hath always been found a matter of discouraging difficulty among those that have busied themselves in such Inquiries To determine the Soul 's original Insomuch that after all the contests and disputes that have been about it many of the wisest Inquisitors have concluded it undeterminable or if they have sate down in either of the two opinions viz. of it's immediate Creation or Traduction which of later ages have been the only competitors they have been driven to it rather from the absurdities of the opposite opinion which they have left than drawn by any rational alliciency in that which they have taken to And indeed if we do but impartially consider the grand inconveniences which each party urgeth against the others Conclusion it would even tempt one to think that both are right in their opposition and neither in their assertion And since each side so strongly oppugns the other and so weakly defends it self 't is a shrewd suspicion that they are both mistaken Wherefore if there be a third that can lay any probable claim to the truth it deserves to be heard to plead its cause and if it be not chargeable with the contradictions or absurdities either of the one or other to be admitted Now though these later ages have concluded the matter to lie between immediate Creation and seminal Traduction yet I find that the more antient times have pitcht upon Praeexistence as more likely than either For the Platonists Pythagoreans the Chaldaean wise men the Jewish Rabbins and some of the most learned and antient Fathers
it shall go hard but that those whom their education or prejudice have engaged against this Hypothesis will light on some obscure pieces of texts and broken sentences or other that shall seem to condemn what they disapprove of But I am securely confident that there is not a sentence in the sacred volume from end to end that ever was intended to teach that all Souls were not made of old or that by a legitimate consequence would inferr it And if any there be that seem to look another way I dare say they are collateral and were never designed by the divine Authors for the purpose they are made to serve by the enemies of Praeexistence Wherefore not to conceal any thing that with the least shew of probability can be pretended from the sacred volume in discountenance of the Doctrine of Praeexistence I 'le bring into view whatever I know to have the least face of a Testimony to the contrary in the divine Revelations That so when it shall appear that the most specious Texts that can be alledg'd have nothing at all in them to disprove the souls praeexistence we may be secure that God hath not discovered to us in his written will that 't was not his pleasure to create all souls together Therefore 1. It may be pretended that the Doctrine of Praeexistence comports not with that innocence and integrity in which the Scripture determines Adam to have been made Since it supposeth the descent into these bodies to be a culpable lapse from an higher and better state of Life and this to be a state of incarceration for former delinquencies To this I answer 1 No one can object any thing to purpose against Praeexistence from the unconceiveableness of it until he know the particular frame of the Hypothesis without which all impugnations relating to the manner of the thing will be wide of the mark and but little to the business Therefore if the Objector would have patience to wait till we come to that part of our undertaking he would find that there was but little ground for such a scruple But however to prevent all cavillings in this place I 'le shew the invalidity of this objection Wherefore 2 There is no necessity from the Doctrine of Praeexistence to suppose Adam a Delinquent before his noted transgression in a terrestrial body for considering that his body had vast advantages above ours in point of Beauty Purity and Serviceableness to the Soul what harshness is there in conceiving that God might send one of those immaculate Spirits that he had made into such a Tenement that he might be his steward in the affairs of this lower Family and an overseer and ruler of those other Creatures that he had ordered to have their dwelling upon earth I am sure there is no more contrariety to any of the Divine Attributes in this supposition than there is in that which makes God to have sent a pure spirit which he had just made into such a body Yea 3 Supposing that some Souls fell when the Angels did which the process of our discourse will shew to be no unreasonable supposition this was a merciful provision of our Maker and a generous undertaking for a Seraphick and untainted Spirit For by this means fit and congruous matter is prepared for those Souls to reside and act in who had rendred themselves unfit to live and enjoy themselves in more refined bodies And so those Spirits that had sinned themselves into a state of silence and inactivity are by this seasonable means which the divine Wisdom and Goodness hath contrived for them put once more into a capacity of acting their parts anew and coming into play again Now if it seem hard to any to conceive how so noble a Spirit in such an advantagious body should have been imposed upon by so gross a delusion and submit so impotently to the first temptation He may please to consider that the difficulty is the same supposing him just then to have been made if we grant him but that purity and those great perfections both of will and understanding which orthodox theology allows him Yea again 4 I might ask What inconvenience there is in supposing that Adam himself was one of those delinquent Souls * which the divine pity and compassion had thus set up again that so so many of his excellent Creatures might not be lost and undone irrecoverably but might act anew though upon a lower stage in the universe A due consideration of the infinite foecundity and fulness of the divine goodness will if not warrant yet excuse such a supposition But now if it be demanded What advantage Adam's standing had been to his posterity had he continued in the state of innocence and how sin and misery is brought upon us by his Fall according to this Hypothesis I answer that then among many other great priviledges he had transmitted downwards by way of natural generation that excellent and blessed temper of body which should have been like his own happy crasis So that our apprehensions should have been more large and free our affections more regular and governable and our inclinations to what is good and vertuous strong and vigorous For we cannot but observe in this state how vast an influence the temper of our bodies hath upon our minds both in reference to intellectual and moral dispositions Thus daily experience teacheth us how that according to the ebb or flow of certain humours in our bodies our wits are either more quick free and sparkling or else more obtuse weak and sluggish And we find that there are certain clean and healthy dispositions of body which make us cheerful and contented others on the contrary morose melancholy and dogged And 't is easie to observes how age or sickness sowers and crabbs our natures I might instance in almost all other qualities of the mind which are strangely influenc't and modifyed according to the bodies constitution But none will deny so plain a truth and therefore I forbear to insist further on it Nor need I mention any more advantages so many and such great ones being consequent upon this But our great Protoplast and representative falling through his unhappy disobedience besides the integrity and rectitude of his mind he lost also that blessed constitution of Body which would have been so great a priviledg to his off-spring so that it became now corrupt weak and indisposed for the nobler exercises of the Soul and he could transmit no better to us than himself was owner of Thus we sell in him and were made miserable by his transgression We have bodies conveyed to us which strangely do bewitch and betray us And thus we all bear about us the marks of the first apostacy There are other sad effects of his defection but this may suffice for my present purpose Thus we see how that the derivation of original depravity from Adam is as clear in this Hypothesis as can be pretended in either of the
follows NOw because inability to apprehend the manner of a Thing is a great prejudice against the belief on 't I find my self obliged to go a little further than the bare proof and defence of Praeexistence For though what I have said may possibly induce some to think favourably of our conclusion That the souls of men were made before they came into these bodies yet while they shall think that nothing can be conceived of that former state and that our Praeexistent condition cannot be represented to Humane Understanding but as a dark black solitude it must needs weaken the perswasion of those that are less confirmed and â—ill the minds of the inquisitive with a dubious trouble and Anxiety For searching and contemplative Heads cannot be satisfied to be told That our souls have lived and acted in a former condition except they can be helpt to some more particular apprehension of that State How we lived and acted of old and how probably we fell from that better life into this Region of misery and imperfection Now though indeed my Charity would prompt me to do what I can for the relief and ease of any modest Inquirer yet shall I not attempt to satisfie punctual and eager curiosity in things hidden and unsearchable Much less shall I positively determine any thing in matters so lubricous and uncertain And indeed considering how imperfect our now state is how miserable shallow our understandings are and how little we know of our present selves and the things about us it may seem a desperate undertaking to attempt any thing in this matter Yea when we contemplate the vast circuits of the Divine Wisdom and think how much the thoughts and actions of Eternity and Omniscience are beyond ours who are but of Yesterday and know nothing it must needs discourage Considence it self from determining how the Oeconomy of the world of life was order'd in the day the Heavens and Earth were framed There are doubtless infinite ways and methods according to which the unsearchable wisdom of our Maker could have disposed of us which we can have no conceit of And we are little more capable of unerringly resolving our selves now how it was with us of old than a Child in the womb is to determine what kind of life it shall live when it is set at liberty from that dark inclosure Therefore let shame and blushing cover his face that shall confidently affirm that 't was thus or thus with us in the state of our Fore-Beings However to shew that it may have been that our Souls did Praeexist though we cannot punctually and certainly conclude upon the Particular State I shall presume to draw up a conceivable Scheme of the Hypothesis And if our narrow minds can think of a way how it might have been I hope no body will deny that the divine wisdom could have contriv'd it so or infinitely better than we can imagin in our little models And now I would not have it thought that I go about to insinuate or represent any opinions of my own or that I am a votary to all the notions I make use of whether of the Antient or more modern Philosophers For I seriously profess against all determinations in this kind But my business only is by some imperfect hints and guesses to help to apprehend a little how the state of Praeexistence might have been and so to let in some beams of ancient and modern light upon this immense darkness * Therefore let the Reader if he please call it a Romantick Scheme or imaginary Hypothesis or what name else best fits his Phancy and he 'l not offend me Nor do I hold my self concern'd at all to vindicate the truth of any thing here that is the fruit of mine own invention or composure Though I confess I could beg civilities at least for the notions I have borrowed from great and worthy Sages And indeed the Hypothesis as to the main is derived to us from the Platonists though in their writings 't is but Gold in Oar less pure and perfect But a late great Artist hath excellently refined it And I have not much work to do but to bring together what he up and down hath scattered and by a method-order and some connexions and notions of mine own to work it into an intire and uniform mass Now because the Frame of the particular Hypothesis is originally Philosophical I shall therefore not deprave it by mingling with it the opinions of modern Theologers or distort any thing to make it accommodate to their dogmata but solely and sincerely follow the light of Reason and Philosophy For I intend not to endeavour the late alteration of the ordinary systeme of Divinity nor design any thing in this place but a representation of some harmless Philosophical conjectures In which I shall continually guide my self by the Attributes of God the Phaenomena of the world and the best discoveries of the nature of the soul CHAP. XIII 7 Pillars on which the particular Hypothesis stands NOw the Fabrick we are going to build will stand like as the House of Wisdom upon seven Pillars which I shall first erect and establish that the Hypothesis may be firm and sure like a House that hath Foundations Therefore the first Fundamental Principle I shall lay is this First Pillar 1 All the Divine designs and actions are laid and carried on by pure and infinite Goodness AND methinks this should be owned by all for a manifest and indisputable Truth But some odd opinions in the world are an interest against it and therefore I must be fain to prove it Briefly then Every rational Being acts towards some end or other That end where the Agent acts regularly and wisely is either some self-good or accomplishment or 't is the good and perfection of some thing else at least in the intention Now God being an absolute and immense fulness that is incapable of any the least shadow of new perfection cannot act for any good that may accrue to his immutable self and consequently whatever he acts is for the good of some other Being so that all the divine actions are the communications of his perfections and the issues of his Goodness which being without the base alloy of self-interest or partial fondness and not comprised within any bounds or limits as his other perfections are not but far beyond our narrow conception we may well call it pure and infinite benignity This is the original and root of all things so that this blessed ever blessed Attribute being the Spring and Fountain of all the Actions of the Deity his designs can be no other but the contrivances of Love for the compassing the good and perfection of the universe Therefore to suppose God to act or design any thing that is not for the good of his Creatures is either to phancy him to act for no end at all or for an end that is contrary to his benign Nature Finally therefore the very notion of
just because God Wills them so to be and if that be granted we are disabled from using the arguments taken from natural Notions and the Attributes and Perfections of the Divine Nature against the Blackest and most Blasphemous Opinions that ever were entertained concerning Gods proceedings with the Sons of Men. If there be no settled Good and Evil Immutable and Independent on any Will or Vnderstanding then God may have made his reasonable Creatures on purpose to damn them for ever He may have absolutely decreed that they should sin that he may damn them justly He may most solemnly and earnestly prohibit Sin by his Laws and declare great displeasure against it and yet by his ineluctable Decrees force men to all the sin that is committed in the World He may vehemently protest his unfeigned desire of their Life and Happiness and at the same time secretly resolve their Eternal Destruction He may make it his Glory and Pleasure to triumph eternally in the torments of poor Worms which himself hath by his unalterable and irresistible Will made miserable yea as the discourse instanceth he may after his Decrees concerning the Salvation of the Elect after the death of his Son for them and the mission of his Spirit to them and after all the promises he hath made to assure them thrust them also at last into the dreadful Regions of Death and Woe I say if there be no immutable respects in things but Just and Vnjust Honourable and Dishonourable Good and Cruel Faithful and Deceitful are respects made by meer arbitrarious Will it will be in vain to dispute from Them against any such dismal Opinions yea it will be great folly to argue for the Simplicity of the Divine Nature against the vile conceits of the old Anthropomorphites and the Blasphemies of the present Muggletonians of God's having a Corporal shape Parts and Members if there be no necessary Independent Connexion betwixt Immensity Spirituality and Perfection But this being established that there are immutable respects in things and that such and such are Perfections and their contrary Defects and imperfections hence it will follow that it is impossible the forementioned Doctrines can be true concerning God who cannot lye cannot deny himself viz. He being Absolute and Infinite Perfection cannot act any thing that is Evil or imperfect But all the expressions in Scripture that at first sight look towards such a sense must be interpreted by the general Analogy and course of them which declares his Infinite Immutable Excellencies and these Notions of himself which he hath written on the Souls of Men. So that the Subject of this little Discourse is of vast Moment and the truth asserted in it is I think confirmed with an irresistible Strength and force of Reasoning and not to be convinced by it will argue either great weakness of Vnderstanding in not perceiving consequences that are so close and plain or great obstinacy of Will in being shut up by prejudices and preconceiv'd Opinions against Light that is so clear and manifest The Author was a Person with whom I had the Honour and Happiness of a very particular acquaintance a man he was of a clear Mind a deep Judgment and searching Wit greatly learned in all the best sorts of Knowledge old and new a thoughtful and diligent Enquirer of a free Vnderstanding and vast Capacity joyn'd with singular Modesty and unusual Sweetness of Temper which made him the Darling of all that knew him He was a person of great Piety and Generosity a hearty Lover of God and Men An excellent Preacher a wise Governour a profound Philosopher a quick forcible and close Reasoner and above all a true and exemplary Christian In short he was one who had all the Qualifications of a Primitive Bishop and of an extraordinary Man This I say not out of kindness to my Friend but out of Justice to a Person of whom no Commendation can be extravagant He was bred in Cambridge and Fellow of Christ's Colledge where he lived in great Esteem and Reputation for his eminent Learning and Vertues he was one of the first that overcame the prejudices of the Education of the late unhappy Times in that Vniversity and was very Instrumental to enlarge others He had too great a Soul for the trifles of that Age and saw early the nakedness of Phrases and Phancies He out-grew the pretended Oâ—thodoxy of those days and addicted himself to the Primitive Learning and Theology in which he even then became a great Master After the return of the Government the excellent Bishop Taylor foreseeing the vacancy in the Deanery of Connor sent to Cambridge for some Learned and Ingenious Man who might be fit for that Dignity The motion was made to Dr. Rust which corresponding with the great Inclination he had to be conversant with that incomparable Person he gladly accepted of it and hastn'd into Ireland where he langed at Dublin about August 1661. He was received with much Respect and Kindness by that great and good Bishop who knew how to value such Jewels and preferr'd to the Deanery as soon as it was void which was shortly after He continued in that Preferment during the Bishops Life always dearly lov'd and even admir'd by him At his Death that sad stroke to all the Lovers of Religion and Learning he was chosen for the last solemn Office to his Deceased Father and Friend and he Preach't such a Funeral Sermon as became that extraordinary Person and himself It hath been since published and I suppose you may have seen it upon the lamented Death of Bishop Taylor which hapned August 13th 1667. The Bishopricks were divided Dr. Boyle Dean of Cork was nominated Bishop of Downe and Connor and Dr. Rust Dean of Connor Bishop of Dromore he lived in the Deanery about six years in the Bishoprick but three for in December 1670 he dyed of a Fever in the prime of his years to the unspeakable grief of all that knew his Worth and especially of such of them as had been blest by his Friendship and most sweet and indearing Conversation He was buried in the Quire of his own Cathedral Church of Dromore in a Vault made for his Predecessour Bishop Taylor whose Sacred Dust is deposited also there and what Dormitory hath two such Tenants This is the best account I can give you of the Work and the Author and by it you may perceive his Memory deserves to live and this product of him but there is so much reverence due to the Manes of so venerable a Person that nothing should be hastily published under his honour'd name I know had he designed this Exercitation for the Publick he would have made it much more compleat and exact than we now have it but as it is the Discourse is weighty and substantial and may be of great use As it goes about now in written Copies it is I perceive exceedingly depraved and in danger of being still worse abused The Publication would preserve
conceptions and Ideas of these natures and their relations can be only so far true * as they conform and agree with the things themselves and the harmony which they have one to another FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THE DISCOURSE of TRUTH Sect. 1. THAT Truth is twofold In the Object and in the Subject That in the Object what it is And that it is antecedent to and independent of any Will or Vnderstanding whatever p. 165 Sect. 2. The necessity of there being certain Arguments Means and Objects for certain Conclusions Ends and Faculties And that every thing will not suit every thing p. 166 Sect. 3. An Instance or two of the gross and horrid Absurdities consequent to the denying the mutual respects and relations of things to be eternal and indispensible p. 167 Sect. 4. The Entrance into the first part of the Discourse which is of Truth in the Object That the Divine Understanding does not make the Respects and Relations of its Objects but finds them or observes them p. 168 Sect. 5. That the Divine Will does not determine the References and Dependences of things because that would subvert his other Attributes p. 169 Sect. 6. The avoidance of the foregoing ill consequences by making God immutable with an Answer thereto p. 172 Sect. 7. An hideous but genuine Inference of a Pamphleteer from this principle That absolute and Sovereign Will is the Spring and Fountain of all Gods actions p. 173 Sect. 8. That the Denial of the mutual Respects and Relations of things unto one another to be eternal and unchangeable despoils God of that universal Rectitude of his Nature p. 174 Sect. 9. That the Denial of the unchangeableness of the said mutual Respects and Relations of things to one another takes away the Knowledge of God and of our own Happiness and lays a foundation of the most incurable Scepticism imaginable p. 176 Sect. 10. That the denying the Eternal and Immutable Respects of things frustrates all the noble Essays of the mind or understanding of man p. 180 Sect. 11. That in the abovesaid Denial are laid the Foundations of Rantism Debauchery and of all Dissoluteness of Life p. 181 Sect. 12. That our Assurance of future Happiness is quite â—ut off by the denying of the Eternal and Immutable Respects of Things p. 182 Sect. 13. Several Objections propounded against the scope of this Discourse hitherto from the Independency of the Divine Understanding and Will. p. 184 Sect. 14. A main Objection more fully insisted upon namely How well the Advancement of Gods Justice in the Damnation of the greatest part of Mankind consists with the scope of this Discourse especially it being so stated as is here set down p. 186 Sect. 15. An Answer to that Objection that concerns the Understanding of God shewing hat the Divine Vnderstanding does not depend upon the natures and mutual Respects of things though they be its Objects p. 187 Sect. 16. An Answer to that Objection which concerns the Will of God shewing That Liberty in the Power or Principle is no where a Perfection where there is not an Indifferency in the things or actions about which it is conversant p. 189 Sect. 17. That the Discourse hitherto does not infer any Dependency of God upon any thing without himself But only occasions are offered to him of acting according to his own intimate Nature and Essence p. 191 Sect. 18. The second part of the Discourse which briefly treats of Truth in the Subject What it is What in God and what in the Creature And that in both it is A representation or conception in the mind conformable to the unchangeable natures and mutual Respects of things p. 193 Annotations UPON THE Two foregoing TREATISES LVX ORIENTALIS OR An Enquiry into the OPINION OF THE EASTERN SAGES Concerning the Prae-existence of Souls AND THE Discourse of TRUTH Written for the more fully clearing and further confirming the main DOCTRINES in each TREATISE By one not unexercized in these kinds of SPECULATION LONDON Printed for J. Collins and S. Lounds over against Exeter-Change in the Strand 1682. Annotations UPON LVX ORIENTALIS THese two Books Lux Orientalis and the Discourse of Truth are luckily put together by the Publisher there being that suitableness between them and mutual support of one another And the Arguments they treat of being of the greatest importance that the Mind of man can entertain herself with the consideration thereof has excited so sluggish a Genius as mine to bestow some few Annotations thereon not very anxious or operose but such as the places easily suggest and may serve either to rectifie what may seem any how oblique or illustrate what may seem less clear or make a supply or adde strength where there may seem any further need In which I would not be so understood as that I had such an anxiety and fondness for the Opinions they maintain as if all were gone if they should fail but that the Dogmata being more fully clearly and precisely propounded men may more safely and considerately give their Judgments thereon but with that modesty as to admit nothing that is contrary to the Judgment of the truly Catholick and Apostolick Church Chap. 2. p. 4. That he made us pure and innocent c. This is plainly signified in the general Mosaick History of the Creation that all that God made he saw it was good and it is particularly declared of Adam and Eve that they were created or made in a state of Innocency Pag. 4. Matter can do nothing but by motion and what relation hath that to a moral Contagion We must either grant that the figures of the particles of Matter and their motion have a power to affect the Soul united with the Body and I remember Josephus somewhere speaking of Wine says it does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regenerate as it were the Soul into another life and sense of things or else we must acknowledge that the parts of Matter are alterable into qualifications that cannot be resolved into mere mechanical motion and figure whether they be thus altered by the vital power of the Spirit of Nature or however it comes to pass But that Matter has a considerable influence upon a Soul united thereto the Author himself does copiously acknowledge in his fourth Chapter of this Book where he tells us that according to the disposition of the Body our Wits are either more quick free and sparkling or more obtuse weak and sluggish and our Mind more chearful and contented or else more morose melancholick or dogged c. Wherefore that he may appear the more consistent with himself it is likely he understands by this Moral Contagion the very venome and malignity of vitious Inclinations how that can be derived from Matter especially its power consisting in mere motion and figuration of parts The Psalmist's description is very apposite to this purpose Psal 58. The ungodly are froward even from their mothers womb as soon as they are born they go astray and
dead to their life But the changing of our Earthly Body for an Aereal or Aethereal this is not Death but Reviviscency in which all the energies of the Soul are not depressed but exalted and our Memory with the rest quickened as it was in Esdras after he had drunk down that Cup offered to him by the Angel full of Liquor like Fire which filled his Heart with Understanding and strengthned his Memory as the Text says Thus we see how all Objections against the three Reasons of lapsed Souls losing the memory of the things of the other state vanish into smoak Wherefore they every one of them single being so sound all three put together methinks should not fail of convincing the most refractory of this Truth That though the Soul did pre-exist and act in another state yet she may utterly forget all the Scenes thereof in this Pag. 46. Now if the reasons why we lose the remembrance of our former life be greater c. And that they are so does appear in our Answer to the Objections made against the said Reasons if the Reader will consider them Pag. 50. And thereby have removed all prejudices c. But there is yet one Reason against Pre-existence which the ingenious Author never thought of urged by the Anti-Pre-existentiaries namely That it implies the rest of the Planets peopled with Mankind it being unreasonable to think that all Souls descended in their lapse to this onely Earth of Ours And if there be lapsed Souls there how shall they be recovered shall Christ undergo another and another death for them But I believe the ingenious Author would have looked upon this but as a mean and trifling Argument there being no force in any part thereof For why may not this Earth be the onely Hospital Nosocomium or Coemeterium speaking Platonically of sinfully lapsed Souls And then suppose others lapsed in other Planets what need Christ die again for them when one drop of his Bloud is sufficient to save myriads of Worlds Whence it may seem a pity there is not more Worlds than this Earth to be redeemed by it Nor is it necessary they should historically know it And if it be the Eclipse of the Sun at his Passion by some inspired Prophets might give them notice of it and describe to them as orderly an account of the Redemption as Moses does of the Creation though he stood not by while the World was framed but it was revealed to him by God And lastly it is but a rash and precarious Position to say that the infinite Wisdom of God has no more ways than one to save lapsed Souls It is sufficient that we are assured that this is the onely way for the saving of the Sons of Adam and these are the fixt bounds of revealed Truth in the Holy Scripture which appertains to us Inhabitants on Earth But as for the Oeconomy of his infinite Wisdom in the other Planets if we did but reflect upon our absolute ignorance thereof we would have the discretion not to touch upon that Topick unless we intended to make our selves ridiculous while we endeavour to make others so Chap. 6. pag. 51. Now as the infinite goodness of the Deity obligeth him always to do good so by the same to do that which is best c. To elude the force of this chief Argument of the Pre-existentiaries an ingenious Opposer has devised a way which seems worth our considering which is this viz. By making the Idea of God to consist mainly in Dominion and Soveraignty the Scriptures representing him under no other notion than as the Supream Lord and Soveraign of the Universe Wherefore nothing is to be attributed to him that enterferes with the uncontroulableness of his Dominion And therefore says he they that assert Goodness to be a necessary Agent that cannot but do that which is best directly supplant and destroy all the Rights of his Power and Dominion Nay he adds afterwards That this notion of Gods goodness is most apparently inconsistent not onely with his Power and Dominion but with all his other moral Perfections And for a further explication of his mind in this matter he adds afterwards That the Divine Will is indued with the highest kind of liberty as it imports a freedom not onely from foreign Violence but also from inward Necessity For spontaneity or immunity from coaction without indifferency carries in it as great necessity as those motions that proceed from Violence or Mechanism From whence he concludes That the Divine Will cannot otherwise be determined than by its own intrinsick energie And lastly Forasmuch as no Courtisie can oblige but what is received from one that had a power not to bestow them if God necessarily acted according to his Goodness and not out of mere choice and liberty of Will there were no thanks nor praise due to him which therefore would take away the duties of Religion This is the main of his Hypothesis whereby he would defeat the force of this Argument for the Pre-existence of Souls taken from the Goodness of God Which this Hypothesis certainly would do if it were true and therefore we will briefly examine it First therefore I answer That though the Scriptures do frequently represent God as the Lord and Soveraign of the Universe yet it does not conceal his other Attributes of Goodness and Mercy and the like But that the former should be so much inculcated is in reference to the begetting in the People Awe and Obedience to him But it is an invalid consequence to draw from hence that the Idea of God does mainly consist in Dominion and Soveraignty which abstracted from his other Attributes of Wisdom and Goodness would be a very black and dark representation of him and such as this ingenious Writer could not himself contemplate without aversation and horror How then can the Idea of God chiefly consist in this It is the most terrifying indeed but not the most noble and accomplishing part in the Idea of the Deity This Soveraignty then is such as is either bounded or not bounded by any other Attributes of God If bounded by none then he may do as well unwisely as wisely unjustly as justly If bounded by Wisdom and Justice why is it bounded by them but that it is better so to be than otherwise And Goodness being as essential to God as Wisdom and Justice why may not his Soveraignty be bounded by that as well as by the other and so he be bound from himself of himself to do as well what is best as what is better This consists with his absolute Soveraignty as well as the other And indeed what can be absolute Soveraignty in an intelligent Being if this be not viz. fully and entirely to follow the will and inclinations of its own nature without any check or controul of any one touching those over whom he rules Whence in the second place it appears that the asserting that Gods goodness is a necessary Agent in
indued with Life whenas yet he pag. 35. will not admit that self-motion is an indication of Life in the subject that moves itself although it is the very prime argument that his beloved and admired Dr. Glisson useth to prove that there is universally life in Matter But it is the symptome of an over Polemical Fencer to deny a thing merely because he finds it not for his turn In the mean time it is plain the Doctor has not added the facultie of motion rashly out of over sight but for the instructing the ignorant in so important a truth That there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but there is Life and Spirit This is so great a truth that the Platonists make it to be the main Character of Soul or Spirit to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as you may see in Proclus Fifthly No man saith he can understand that the Negative Immaterial by the terms includeth Penetrabilitie and Indiscerpibilitie Ans No man that rightly understands himself but must conceive that Immaterial signifies an opposite or contrary condition to Material and he knowing as who is ignorant of it that the proper and essential characters of Material in substantia materialis is to be Impenetrable and Discerpible he will necessarily even whether he will or no discover that Immaterial which signifies the opposite to these in substantia immaterialis must denote Penetrability and Indiscerpibility Sixthly You do not say here saith he that they are the Form but elsewhere you do and the Form should be exprest and not onely vertually contained as you speak Ans What would you have him in the very Definition it self which is so clear an one say This is the Genus this the Form as those bunglers I mentioned above writ the names of the Animals they had so badly drawn And that the Form should be exprest is true but it is sufficient it be exprest in such a comprehensive term as contains under it all that belongs to such a Species As when we have divided Vivens into Planta and Animal if we then define Animal to be Vivens sensu praeditum that one word sensus is sufficient because it reaches any Species of Animal and none but Animals And yet here the Doctor is not so niggardly as to pinch the expression of all the Form or Difference into that one word Immaterial whereby he here onely intimates Penetrability and Indiscerpibility but for fuller explication addeth Intrinsecally indued with Life and the facultie of motion But lastly For his elsewhere calling Penetrability and Indiscerpibility the Form of a Spirit he nowhere makes them the whole Form of a Spirit but makes the Logical Form or Differentia of a Spirit to be all that which he has expressed in this Definition viz. Immaterial which denotes Penetrability and Indiscerpibility and Intrinsecal life and motion And it is evident that when he calls this Differentia in his Definition Form that he does not mean the very specifick Substance or Essence whereby a Spirit is a Spirit but onely essential or inseparable Attributes which onely are known to us and which are only in an improper sense said to be the Form it self or specifick Nature They are onely the Result of the Form and Notes of an Essence or Substance Specifically distinct from some other Substance It is not so in substantial Forms as in Geometrical Forms or Figures as to Visibilitie or Perceptibilitie Dic tu formam hujus lapidis says Scaliger to Cardan Phyllida solus habeto But there are inseparable and essential Properties of a substantial Form necessarily resulting from the Form it self as there are in external Forms or Figures As for example from the form of a Globe which is a round Form defined from the equalitie of all lines from one point drawn thence to the Superficies From this form does necessarily and inseparably result the Character of an easie rouling Mobilitie That a bodie of this Form is the most easily moved upon a Plain of any bodie in the world And so from the Form of a piece of Iron made into what we call a Sword Fitness for striking for cutting for stabbing and for defending of the hand is the necessarie result from this Form thereof And so I say that from the intimate and essential Form of a Spirit suppose essentially and inseparably result such and such properties by which we know that a Spirit is a distinct Species from other things though we do not know the very specifick essence thereof And therefore here I note by the by that when the Doctor saies any such or such Attributes are the Form of a Spirit he does datâ operâ balbutire cum balbutientibus and expresses himself in the language of the Vulgar and speaks to Mr. Baxter in his own Dialect For it is the declared opinion of the Doctor that the intimate Form of no Essence or Substance is knowable but onely the inseparable Fruits or Results thereof Which is a Principle wants no proof but an appeal to every mans faculties that has ordinarie wit and sinceritie Seventhly They are not the Form saith he but the Dispositio vel Conditio ad formam Ans You may understand out of what was said even now that Penetrabilitie and Indiscerpibilitie are so far from being Dispositio ad formam that they are the Fruits and Results of the intimate and Specifick Form of a Spirit and that they suppose this Specifick Form in order of nature to precede them as the Form of a Globe precedes the rouling mobilitie thereof In vertue of a Spirits being such a Specifick substance it has such inseparable attributes resulting from it as a Globe has mobilitie And as the Globe is conceived first and mobilitie inseparably resulting from it so the Specifick Nature of a Spirit which is its true and intimate Form and made such according to the eternal Idea thereof in the Intellect of God being one simple Specifick substance or Essence has resulting from it those essential or inseparable properties which we attribute to a Spirit itself in the mean time remaining but one simple self-subsistent Actus Entitativus whose Penetrabilitie and Indivisibilitie Mr. Baxter himself pag. 99. says is easily defendible And the Doctor who understands himself I dare say for him defends the Penetrabilitie and Indivisibilitie of no Essences but such Eighthly If such Modalities says he or Consistence were the Form more such should be added which are left out Ans He should have nominated those which are left out He means I suppose Quantity and Trina Dimensio which it was his discretion to omit they being so impertinent as I have shewn above in my Answer to his third Objection against the Penetrabilitie and Indiscerpibilitie of a Spirit Ninthly Penetrabilitie and Indiscerpibilitie are two Notions and you should not give us says he a compound Form Ans This implies that Penetrability and Indiscerpibility are the Form of a Spirit but I have said again and again they are but the Fruits
Any Angel or man may as truly be said to know all things as God himself c. Because this supposition takes away all the steadie and scientifick Knowableness in things it taking away their setled fixt and necessary habitudes one to another as if double proportion of Four to Two did no more belong to it in Truth and Reality than Sub-double and that Four in Truth were no more the Quaternarie number than the Binary but indifferently either as the Will of God will have it This plainly pulls up by the roots all pretence of Science or Knowledge in God Angels and Men. And much more flatly to assert That if God will contradictions may be true For this plainly implies that there is really no Repugnancy nor Connection of one thing with another and that therefore no one thing can be proved or disproved from another Pag. 171. If we distinguish those two Attributes in God c. namely of Wisdom and Knowledge as if the one were Noematical the other Dianoetical although that discursiveness is more quick than lightning or rather an eternal intuitive discernment of the consequence or cohesion of things at once Sect. 6. pag. 172. Because they suppose that God is mutable and changeable c. This can be no allegation against the other Arguings because we cannot be assured of the Immutability or Unchangeableness of God but by admitting of what those arguings drive at namely That there is an immutable necessary and unchangeable reference and respect or connection of things one with another As for example of Immutableness or Unchangeableness with Perfection and of Perfection with God For to fancie God an imperfect Being is nonsense to all men that are not delirant and to fancie him Perfect and yet Changeable in such a sense as is here understood is as arrant a Contradiction or Repugnancie Wherefore they that would oppose the fore-going Alguings by supposing God Unchangeable must acknowledge what is aimed at That there is a necessary and unchangeable respect and connection betwixt things or else their opposition is plainly weak and vain But if they grant this they grant the Cause and so Truth has its just victory and triumph This Section is abundantly clear of it self Sect. 8. pag. 174. Will spoil God of that universal Rectitude which is the greatest perfection of his nature c. In the fifth Section it was said That the making the Will of God the Fountain of all Truth robs him of all his Attributes And there it is proved how it robs him of his Wisdom and Knowledge Here it is shewn how it robs him of his Justice Mercy Faithfulness Goodness c. Pag. 175. For to say they are indispensably so because God understands them so c. This as the Author saies must be extream Incogitancy For the Truth of the Divine Understanding Speculative consists in its Conformitie with the Idea's of things and their Respects and Habitudes in the Divine Understanding Exhibitive which necessarily unchangeably and unalterably represents the natures of things with their Respects and Habitudes in their Objective Existence such as they necessarily are when they do really exist As of a Sphere Pyramid Cube and Cylinder And there is the same reason of all natures else with their Respects and Habitudes that they are as necessarily exhibited as the Cube and Cylinder and their Habitudes and Respects one to another as the proportion that a Cylinder bears to a Sphere or Globe of the same altitude and equal diameter Which Archimedes with incomparable clearness and subtiltie of wit has demonstrated in his Treatise De Sphaera Cylindro to be ratio sesquealtera as also the Superficies of the Cylinder with its Bases to bear the same proportion to the Supersicies of the Sphere And as these Idea's are necessarily and unalterably with their Respects and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 represented so are all Idea's else Physical and Moral as I have noted above And the nature of Justice Mercy Faithfulness and Goodness are with their habitudes and respects as sixedly determinately and unalterably represented in their Idea's as the Sphere and Cylinder or any other Form or Being whatsoever Sect. 9. pag. 178. For we are to know that there is a God and the Will of God c. That is to say If there be no setled natures and respects and habitudes of things in the order of Nature antecedent to any Will whatever Meditation or Contrivance nor there be any certain nature respects habitudes and connections of things in themselves it will be necessary that we first know there is a God and what his Will is touching the natures respects and habitudes of things Whether these which we seem to discern and do argue from are the same he means and wills or some other And so there will be a necessity of knowing God and his Will before we have any means to know him or which is all one we shall never have any means to know him upon this false and absurd Hypothesis Sect. 11. pag. 181. Then it infallibly follows that it is all one what I do or how I live c. This as the following words intimate is to be understood in reference to the pleasing God and to our own future Happiness But it is manifest it is not all one what I do or how I live though I did suppose there were no real distinction betwixt Truth and Falshood Good and Evil in the sense here intended in reference to this present condition in this World where the sense of pain and ease of imprisonment and liberty and of the security or sasety of a mans own person will oblige him to order his life in such a manner as hath at least the imitation of Temperance Faithfulness and Justice Sect. 12. pag. 183. If the opposition of Contradictory Terms depend upon the arbitrarious resolves of any Being whatsoever The plainness and irrefragableness of this Truth that the opposition of contradictory Terms is an affection habitude or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwixt those terms that no power in Heaven or Earth can abolish methinks should assure any that are not pure Sots or crazie Fantasticks that there may be many other such unalterable and immutable habitudes of Terms Natures or Things that are every jot as unabolishable as this Which is no derogation to the Divine Perfection but an Argument of it unless we should conceit that it is the height of the Perfection of Divine Omnipotence to be able to destroy himself And truly to fancie an ability in him of destroying or abolishing those eternal necessary and immutable habitudes or respects of the natures of things represented in their Idea's by the Divine Intellect Exhibitive is little less than the admitting in God an ability of destroying or abolishing the Divine Nature it self because ipso facto the Divine Wisdom and Knowledge would be destroyed as was shewn in the fifth Section and what a God would that be that is destitute thereof Wherefore it is
Which has made them write upon these Subjects with that vigour and briskness of Spirit that they have For the constitution of Youth in those that have not an unhappy Nativity is far more heavenly and Angelical than that of more grown age in which the Spirit of the World is more usually awakened and then begins that Scene which the Poet describes in his De Arte Poetica Quaerit opes amicitias inservit honori their mind then begins to be wholly intent to get wealth and riches to enlarge their Interest by the friendship of great Persons and to hunt after Dignities and Preferments Honours and Imployments in Church or State and to those more heavenly and Divine Sentiments through disuse and the presence of more strong and filling Impressions are laid asleep and their Spirits thickened and clouded with the gross fumes and steams that arise from the desire of earthly things and it may so fall out if there be not special care taken that this mud they have drawn in by their coarse desires may come to that opaque hardness and incrustation that their Terrestrial body may prove a real dungeon cast them into an utter oblivion of their chiefest concerns in the other State Nec auras Respicient clausi tenebris carcere caeco Which I thought fit to take notice of as well for the instruction of others as for a due Appretiation of these two brief Treatises of these florid Writers they being as it were the Virgin-Honey of these two Attick Bees the Primitiae of their intemerated Youth where an happy natural complexion and the first Rudiments of Christian Regeneration may seem to have conspired to the writing of two such useful Treatises Vseful I say and not a little grateful to men of refined Fancies and gay Intellectuals of benign and Philosophical tempers and Lovers of great Truths and Goodness Which natural constitution were a transcendent priviledge indeed were there not one great danger in it to those that know not how to use it skilfully For it does so nearly ape as I may so speak the Divine Benignity it self and that unself-interessed Love that does truly arise from no other seed than that of real Regeneration which Self-mortification and a serious endeavour of abolishing or utterly demolishing our own will and quitting any thing that would captivate us and hinder our union with God and his Christ does necessarily precede that too hastily setting up our rest in these mere complexional attainments which is not Spirit but Flesh though it appear marvellous sweet and goodly to the owner if there be not due care taken to advance higher in that Divine and Eternal Principle of real Regeneration by a constant mortification of our own will theâ—e may be a perpetual hazzard of this Flesh growing corrupt and fly-blown and sending up at last no sweet savour into the nostrils of the Almighty That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit And all flesh is grass and the beauty thereof as the flower of the field but that which is born of the eternal Seed of the living Word abideth for ever and ever And therefore there is no safe Anchorage for the Soul but in a perpetual endeavour of annihilating of her own Will that we may be one with Christ as Christ is with God Otherwise if we follow the sweet enticing Counsels of mere Nature though it look never so smugly on it it will seduce us into a false liberty and at last so corrupt our Judgment and blind us that we shall scarce be able to discern him that is that great Light that was sent into the world but become every man an Ignis Fatuus to himself or be so silly as to be led about by other Ignes Fatui whenas it is most certain that Christ is the only way the Truth and the Life and he that does not clearly see that when he has opportunity to know it let his pretence to other knowledge be what it will it is a demonstration that as to Divine things he is stark blind But no man can really adhere to Christ and unwaveringly but by union to him through his Spirit nor obtain that Spirit of life but by resolved Mortification of his own will and a deadness to all worldly vanities that we may be restored at last to our solid happiness which is through Christ in God without whose Communion no soul can possibly be happy And therefore I think it not amiss to close these my Theoretical Annotations on these two Treatises with that more Practical and Devotional Hymn of A. B. that runs much upon the mortification of our own Wills and of our Union and Communion with God translated into English by a Lover of the Life of our Lord Jesus THE Devotional HYMN 1. O Heavenly Light my Spirit to Thee draw With powerful touch my senses smite Thine arrows of Love into me throw With flaming dart Deep wound my heart And wounded seize for ever as thy right 2. O sweetest Sweet descend into my Soul And sink into its low'st abyss That all false Sweets Thou mayst controul Or rather kill So that Thy will Alone may be my pleasure and my bliss 3. Do thou my faculties all captivate Vnto thy self with strongest tye My will entirely regulate Make me thy Slave Nought else I crave For this I know is perfect Liberty 4. Thou art a Life the sweetest of all Lives Nought sweeter can thy Creature taste 'T is this alone the Soul revives Be Thou not here All other chear Will turn to dull satiety at last 5. O limpid Fountain of all vertuous Leare O well-spring of true Joy and Mirth The root of all contentments dear O endless Good Break like a floud Into my Soul and water my dry earth 6. That by this Mighty power I being reft Of every Thing that is not ONE To Thee alone I may be left By a firm will Fixt to Thee still And inwardly united into one 7. And so let all my Essence I Thee pray Be wholly fill'd with thy dear Son That thou thy Splendour mayst display With blissful rays In these hid ways WhereinGods nature by frail Man is won 8. For joyned thus to Thee by thy sole aid And working whilst all silent stands In mine own Soul nor ought's assay'd From Self-desire I 'm made entire An instrument fit for thy glorious Hands 9. And thus henceforwards shall all workings cease Vnless't be those Thou dost excite To perfect that Sabbatick Peace Which doth arise When Self-will dies And the new Creature is restored quite 10. And so shall I with all thy Children dear While nought debars Thy workings free Be closely joyn'd in union near Nay with thy Son Shall I be one And with thine own adored Deitie 11. So that at last I being quite releas'd From this strait-lac'd Egoity My soul will vastly be encreas'd Into that ALL Which ONE we call And one in 't self