WHEN I look into the Wri­tings of the Ancient and some Modern Philosophers, that have written touching the Works of Nature, I find in them very many and excellent Enquiries into Causes and Effects, and excellent Natural Discoveries touching them: And I need go no further [Page 2] for the Evidence thereof, than the Books of Aristotle, de Naturali Auditu, de Meteoris, de Anima, de Generatione & Corruptione, de Generatione Animalium, de Partibus Ani­malium, and the rest of his Physical Dis­courses.

But in most of their Discourses, that which is short in them, is indeed the best, and truest, and noblest part of true Philo­sophy, namely, the carrying up of the ad­mirable Works of Nature, and their Regi­ment, to the Supreme Cause of all Things; and the Glorifying of that God that hath instituted, and still continues that Law and Order, which we call the Law of Nature, but is in truth no other than the wise Insti­tution of the Supreme Legislator, fitted to every Being in their Creation, in the great­est Beauty and Convenience, and to several excellent Ends.

The Universe, and all the Parts thereof, as they had their Origination from God, so they are all of them full of admirable Order and Usefulness, and do all proclaim, as well as they can, the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of their Author. It is a goodly and glorious Temple, which in every par­ticular, and in the whole Compagination of it, shews forth the Excellence of the Architect.

[Page 3]But because all these Works, though made with admirable Order and Wisdom, yet every Integral thereof hath not Under­standing to consider their Own or the World's Beauty and Order, nor actively to carry up the Praise and Glory of their Being and Beauty to their Author, the Glorious God hath placed in this goodly Temple certain Intelligent Beings, Angels and Men, for these great Uses. First, To behold the goodly Frame of the World, and intellec­tively to consider it. Secondly, To carry up these Works of God to their proper Cause and Author. Thirdly, To Admire and Magnifie the Power, the Wisdom and Goodness of God in all his Works.

Man therefore is indued not only with a Sentient Nature to behold the Works of Nature, but also with an Intelligent, In­quisitive, Reasonable Soul, to observe and consider them, and the admirable Wisdom and Order that appears in them, and to carry them up to their Wise and Bountiful Author, and is placed in the Temple of this Lower World, as the Priest of that part of the Creation, for himself, and in the behalf of the rest of the Creatures, to Magnifie and Glorifie the Great Creator, and to carry up to him their common Tri­bute of Praise and Glory.

[Page 4]And indeed, this is the best Part, and truest Use of all Philosophy. And although a due Attention unto the Works of Nature will readily prompt any consi­derate Man to this part of Philosophy, yet herein the Excellency of the Holy Scrip­tures, and the true Philosophy, that we may learn therein, exceeds all other Philo­sophical Discourses of the Ancient Philoso­phers: It carries up all the Works, which we usually call Works of Nature, and their admirable Order, Laws and Regiment, to the Great Creator and Governor of them, and teacheth Mankind their Duty there­upon, and to present the Glory and Praise of the whole Creation, and all the Crea­tures therein, to the Sovereign Lord of all Things. Psal. 104.24. O Lord, how won­derful are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. Psal. 107. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Psal. 111.2. The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. Psal. 92.5. O Lord, how great are all thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

It is a True and Wise Saying of that Ex­cellent Person, Sir Francis Bacon, ‘That though a little Philosophy may make a [Page 5] Man an Atheist, yet a deep Search into it, will bring a Man to the Acknowledg­ment and Veneration of God.’ He therefore that rests in the bare Search and Prospect of the Phaenomena of Nature, without running of them up to the Author and Law-giver of Nature, is not gone half way in true Philosophy, nor hath attained that End, that ought principally to be minded in his Natural Enquiries.

Some of those that have gone before me in Magnetical Philosophy, as Grandamicus, Kircherus, and Mr. Ward, have left me an Example of improving this little Portion of Natural Philosophy into Divine Specula­tions: I shall therefore take the liberty to close my Magnetical Observation with something of the like nature, though I shall not go altogether in the same Path that they have gone; as will appear in the several succeeding Chapters, and their Contents.

There is not the least Rivulet, but if I follow it downward in its course, it will bring me either mediately or immediately to the Ocean, as the Term of its Motion: And yet if I follow it upward, first to its apparent Fountain, and then thorough those Anfractus Terrestres, that feed that Fountain, it will bring me, by necessary consequence, [Page 6] to the Ocean, as its Original. Eccles. 1.7. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; into the place from whence the rivers came, thither they return again.

As all Secondary Beings are directed to the Honour and Glory of Almighty God, and of his Goodness, Wisdom and Power, as the chief End of their Being; so they all recognize him, as the Original of their Being. And therefore he that duly considers the least Work in Nature, as he shall find in it the Footsteps and Indications of an admi­rable Wisdom and Goodness; so, if he fol­low it upward, and trace it through the various Meanders of Causes, he shall be constrain'd to fix and terminate the Ori­ginal of that Being, and of that Goodness and Wisdom that is discovered in it, into the Efficiency of the Infinite, Glorious and Eternal God. Every spire of Grass, every the most inconsiderable Molecula Seminalis in Nature, will teach us this Lesson.

And I shall therefore apply my self to this petty Particle of Nature, the MAGNET, and see whether, by the unwinding of this little Bottom, I can arrrive at the same Discoveries.

[Page 7]And first I shall begin with the Manu­duction that this small Clue lends me, to bring me to the Acknowledgment of a Deity, a Deity of most admirable Wisdom, Power and Goodness, as its Cause.

WHEN I take into my Hand a small Versorium, that turns its Cuspis always to the North, where-ever I put it, and I have another of the like Metal and Make, that stands at whatsoever Position I put it, I presently think with my self, that there is some Cause which makes the Difference in the Motions of these Versoria, that in Matter and Figure are en­tirely the same. And upon a further En­quiry, I find the former was touched with the South Pole of a Magnet, which gave it this North Verticity. I then enquire how the Magnet came by this Virtue, not only to convert it self to a Polar Position, but to [Page 8] infuse the same Quality, though with a different Termination, into the Versorium, by its Touch. And upon further search, I find that this Magnet was taken out of the Earth; and by several other Instances, I find, that the Earth hath not only a Polar Direction of its own to the North and South, but is effective of the same in the Magnet, and in some other Bodies, that are receptive of such a Virtue and Disposi­tion: And therefore I do without any great difficulty conclude, That the Earth is surely a Magnetical Body, endued with a Mag­netical Virtue, which gives it self a Po­lar Direction, and gives the like to my Magnet.

Hitherto now I have made a fair pro­gressive Discovery of Efficients: The Versorium receives its Magnetism from the Magnet, and the Magnet from the Earth.

But now, from whence hath this vast Body of the Earth acquired this Magnetical Vigour?

To say it hath it barely from the Modifi­cation of its Matter, as its Figure, Texture of Parts, Site, Position, is utterly unsatis­factory to any Man unprejudic'd by Fancy. For, 1st. Virtue and Power is a thing quite of another nature from Matter: Matter [Page 9] is a dull, unactive Thing; if it have Mo­tion, it must be put into Motion by some­what else, or it will everlastingly rest. 2dly. Again, since the Motions of the Par­ticles of Matter, when put into Motion, must needs be tumultuous and various, it is impossible that they should produce such a regular, stable and fixed determinate Direction in the Earth it self, much less produce such regular, yet various, Motions and Inclinations in the Magnet.

It remains therefore, that either the Earth hath this Virtue primitively and simply from it self, or it must be impressed upon it by some other Powerful Effective Agent.

It is impossible that the Earth should be primarily Effective of its own Magne­tism, for these Reasons. 1st. It is appa­rent, That as the Earth it self is determi­nated in its Moles, and Figure, and Posi­tion; so its Magnetism is determined to these, and these Directions, Dispositions and Inclinations. It must needs be, that whatsoever is determined in its Existence or Operations, must be determined by somewhat else than by it self. 2dly. Which is an Inforcement of the former Reason, That which can from it self communicate to it self an intrinsick Virtue of this kind, [Page 10] what hinders, but that it may communi­cate to it self an Intrinsick Power of any other kind, and so in effect to be Infinite in Power? For why should it rest in this or that particular Modification, or Extent of the Power it gives it self?

And it will be all one as to this, whe­ther we should suppose the Earth, were it possible, to be Eternal, or made up in some determinate portion of Time: For what­soever hath Limits of its Being or Power, must have a Cause of his Being, that must give it its Determination and Limitation. If any thing that is finite and limited in Extent, Figure, Virtue, Vigour, though it were possible to be Eternal, must yet be an Eternal Effect, and have an Eternal Cause, that must give it its bound and circumscrip­tion. And therefore Aristotle, though he erroneously held the Eternity of the World, in the same consistence as now it is, yet always concluded it to be but an Effect of an Efficient, though a necessary Effect of an Efficient necessarily productive of it.

It remains therefore, that if the Earth had this Intrinsick Virtue, Vigour or Mag­netism, it must have it from some other Efficient: Its Motions are indeed the Ef­fect of its Vertue, but its Virtue is the Ef­fect of something else. And if it had it [Page 11] from an Efficient, 1st. It had it from an Intelligent Efficient; for it is a Power or Virtue ordinata ad Finem, as we shall see hereafter; and consequently, whatever Being it was that gave the Earth its In­trinsick Magnetism, it must be such an Efficient or Agent as acts ex Intelligentia & Intentione. Though Irrational Agents are directed to an End, yet the Prime Agent is that which directs to that End.

2dly. It must be an Agent of a strange and admirable Power and Strength, that could dart such an Activity or Virtue into the vast Body of the Earth, of above Twenty two thousand Miles circumference. And if it be said, Tho' we know not what that Agent might be, that might impress this Vigor Magneticus upon the Earth, yet it may be some Natural Agent, without having re­course to a Deity, though we know not what this Cause is: possibly it may be an Effect of the Sun; possibly it may be some Polar Influence from the Heavens; possibly a kind of Irradiation from the common Axis of the Universe; possibly some Magnetical Points in the Heaven, that may influence the Earth with this Magnetism.

I answer; Though such things as these may be supposed, yet they are not proved; [Page 12] and therefore we cannot easily assent to any of these Suppositions, without Proof: but still it must remain as an unshaken Truth, That the Earth is Primum Magneticum; that its Magnetism is implanted in it, as part of its Nature, or Formal Being.

But suppose there were any of these Causes assign'd, or any other Cause of its Magnetism, though unknown to us, yet still the same Enquiry will hold, What, or who gave that Magnetical Virtue to that Cause? And we must be forced to walk from one Natural Cause to another, till at last we must come to a Supreme Infinite Efficient, that hath no Limits or Bound of his Power, Wisdom, or Being, even the Great, and Infinite, and Glorious God.

I confess, this way of Argumentation is applicable to any other Effect or Motion in Nature, and concludes the necessary Ex­istence of a Being absolutely Perfect, as it doth in this Instance of the Magnet, and is no more peculiar to this Effect in Nature, than to any other: But yet it may be use­fully, and with great Evidence of Reason and Plainness, deduc'd from the Considera­tion of the Magnetism of the Earth, though it exclude not the like Improvement of any other appearance in Nature to the same Conclusion.

THAT there are such Beings in Na­ture, that exert their Motions and Effects from an Internal Principle, we have sufficient Evidence, which way soever we look in the World, and I shall further instance from the Subject in hand.

Now, a Being, that hath the Principle of his Actions and Motion in himself, I suppose to be of Two Kinds.

I. That Being, which is absolutely Independent, the Original of all other Be­ings and Powers, Infinite in Essence and Power, the Great and Glorious GOD, in the virtue of whose Presence, Influence and Activity all other Active Powers have their Being and Operations, whose Ex­istence is not demonstrable à Priori, or from his Causes, (for he is the Soveraign Primitive Cause of All Things,) but is de­monstrable by his Effects, Works and [Page 14] Operations. And this is that which I am endeavouring to evince, even by this little portion of Nature, which I have in hand.

II. Again, There are other Beings, that although they have the principal Motions and Operations within themselves, yet, 1st. Have it not from themselves, but either mediately or immediately from that Great Sovereign Fountain of Being and Power above-mention'd. 2dly. Nor have it independently: For as in their Original they have it from God, so they still have it dependently upon Him. If the Sove­raign Influence should not uncessantly be communicated to their Beings and Ope­rations, both would cease. And conse­quently, although when they are once setled, they have the Root of their Mo­tions and Operations within themselves, so that no other Created Cause doth Physi­cally contribute to them; yet the Sove­reign Cause, and his Influence, hath still a most Intimate Co-efficiency with them in all their Motions and Operations; and such an Efficiency, that is far greater and more intimate to them, than those Self-moving Principles themselves. For though these Principles, as in relation to the Ef­fects these Self-moving Principles produce, [Page 15] habent se per modum primariorum efficientium; yet, in relation to Almighty God, habent se per modum Instrumenti vel Causae subordi­natae.

Now, these Self-moving Intrinsick Prin­ciples are not unfitly called Essential Virtues, or Essential Forms; and in respect of their Production, are of Two kinds.

First, Such as were lodged primarily in some Nature or Body, without any Tra­duction from any other Created Being: such were the Virtutes Essentiales, or Forms, of the First Animals; such is also the Magnetical Form, or Essential Virtue of the Earth, which could no otherwise be derived to it, but from the Efficiency, Ordination and Institution of the Sovereign Creator and Architect of the World. And this hath been the Business of the former Chapter.

Secondly, Such Forms, or Essential Virtues, as have their immediate Origi­nation by some other Productive Cause; either by way of Ordinary Generation, as is done in the Production of Animals and Vegetables ex Semine; or by way of Irradiation, as Fire produceth Fire, or as [Page 16] the Magnet is produced in the Bowels of the Earth.

Now, although these Productions of Essential Virtues, Forms, or Self-moving Principles, recognize another Natural Im­mediate Efficient in their first Production; yet being once produced and perfected, they act, and move, and operate imme­diately from themselves, and independently upon the Immediate Cause of their Pro­duction. The Egg of a Hen would be hatch'd into a Chicken, and the Form or Essential Virtue of this Chicken would exert its own Operations proper to its Spe­cies, though the Hen were dead. And I make as little doubt, that a Magnet once fully perfected in the Earth, would have its Magnetical Attraction, though we could suppose the Earth it self annihilated, or its Magnetism extinct.

For though there could be no Union of a Vis, or Forma Magnetica, to a Magnet, but by the Irradiation of the Earth; yet when it is once perfected into a compleat Mag­netical Nature, and the Magnetical Vir­tue once radicated in it, it would then act many of its Motions independently, as in relation to the Earth, from which it had its first Production, though possibly [Page 17] some of its Motions, which are relative to the Earth, would be lost.

Now the due consideration of these Es­sentiales Virtutes, or Forms that have in themselves a Principle of their Operations, are in their kind as effectual a demonstra­tion of the Existence of Almighty God, as the series, and connexion, and depen­dence, and subordination of Efficients, or Efficient Causes.

And therefore in this place I shall not make use of that way of Argumentation, namely, the necessary reduction of all Powers or Essential Virtues, either medi­ately or immediately to their First Effici­ent, which was the method of the former Chapter; but shall consider them barely as active self-moving Vertues, or Forms, or Powers, and shall thereupon examine what Evidence that naked Consideration affords us of an Existence of a Sovereign and most perfect Being.

1. In the pursuit of the Effects and Ap­pearances of Nature, when we come to a self-moving Principle, we are come to the uttermost term and limits of our bare Phy­sical enquiry into the Cause of any such Motions and Effects. When I see the In­dex of a Clock point to the Hour of the Day, I can trace that motion to the next [Page 18] Wheel that moves it, and so to the next, and then to the Rundle, that is moved by the Spring, and then to the weight of Lead, that from an inward self-moving principle moves downward, and there I am at a stand, I can carry my Series of Physical Causes no farther; for if I enquire why this Weight moves downward, I get no higher but only to the Ordination of the Sovereign of the World that had impressed that intrinsick self-moving Power into this as all other heavy Bodies. And therefore Aristotle, after he had established that Prin­ciple that quicquid movet movetur ab alio, when he comes to the Motion of heavy Bo­dies, wherein he could find no other im­pulsive Physical Cause of their Motion without them, but in their very own in­trinsick Nature, hath only this solution for it, quod movetur à generante. But this So­lution of his solves not the business, with­out recourse to the Sovereign Cause of all things; for although the Generans was that which convey'd the Principle it self into the heavy Body to move it self, yet when that Principle is once settled, namely, a heavy Body once constituted, it moves now independantly upon its generative imme­diate Natural Cause, which it may be is cor­rupted and dissolved, yet that active and [Page 19] self-moving Principle exerts its Motion from its own intrinsick Nature.

If it be said that the Spring of the Watch doth the like, and yet it is performed but mechanically; for the Spring of Steel made strait at first, and then rolled up into a spiral consistence endeavouring its own restitution, gives as effectual and regular Motion to the Wheels, and so to the In­dex, as the weight of Lead doth.

I Answer, It is true, it doth so; but yet it doth not avoid nor answer the Instance 1. Even that disposition of the Spring requires an Intelligent Agent to bring it about and order it, and certainly no less is requir'd even to the impression of this Motive Pow­er to a heavy Body. 2. Again, in that disposition of the Spring, we can and must necessarily arrive to a Natural Cause of that Motive Principle of the Spring, name­ly the conversion of that Body into a Con­sistence contrary to its Nature, whereby it endeavours its restitution to its natural state, and so Evolves it self, and by that Evolution moves the String, and that the Fusee, and that the Wheel: But the Mo­tion of heavy Bodies to the Center hath not any assignable mechanical Cause of its Motion, but its own intrinsick Propen­sion. 3. And this Propension is not to be [Page 20] annexed unto it by any humane power, no, nor by any other assignable Cause, but from the impression and signature of the Supreme Lawgiver, whose Law and Con­stitution, which we call Nature, or the Law of Nature, has implanted in heavy Bodies that habitude between them and the Center of the Earth to move thither.

But this descensus Gravium, is but one single Motion: if we look upon the Mag­netical Body of the Earth, which is the Primum Magneticum, or that which is the natural issue of the Earth, namely, the Magnet, we shall see a greater variety of Motions; as that of direction, attraction, and other Magnetical Motions, and all these proceeding from a self-moving prin­ciple in these Magnetical Bodies; and higher than that we cannot go in the Assignation of Natural Causes. Let any Man living of the greatest Perspicacity, use all the diligence imaginable, he shall never be able to assign any mechanical or other Natural Cause of these Motions, but must fix only in an internal self-moving Principle lodged in the Magnet or Earth it self, and all the reason he shall give, is only this, Ita fert vis naturalis ipsius Mag­netis.

[Page 21]And although it is true, the common Hypothesis allows an actual Motion to the Earth, yet the composing of it self in its Polar Position arising immediately from its Magnetical Nature, and the production of Magnetical Virtues in Magnets and other things, is not unfitly call'd a self-moving or at least a self-disposing or or­dering Principle.

But yet this is much more evident in the Perception, Appetite and Motions of the Sentient Nature, and yet still much more in the Intellectual or Rational Na­ture. Whither, or to what else, than to an internal self-moving Principle can we at­tribute the sentient Perception of Animals, their Instincts, their Memory, their Ap­petites? And when we come to that admirable Creature Man, to what other immediate Cause can we attribute those more admirable Instances of Intellection, Ratiocination, Freedom of Will, than to an internal self-moving Principle, that ex­cites and exerts these admirable Operati­ons? And if any one shall say, that these Faculties and their Operations are moved extrinsically by their Objects. It is true, they are so; but these are not Physical Mo­vers, but only Moral or Objective Mo­vers; the Physical Motions are still per­formed [Page 22] by that internal Vis or Virtus mo­vens. When a Child sees an Apple, it is the Apple that he sees, and either by the beautifulness thereof, or the former expe­rience that he hath had of the like Object, he remembers it is good and pleasant to the Taste, he thereupon desires it, and then reacheth and moveth after it, and tastes it: It is indeed the Apple that excites all these Motions of Sight, Perception, Memory, Ap­petite, Local Motion; but still the Apple only moves objectively and morally, not physically; but still the Perception, Memory, Appetite, Local Motion is performed by the inward Principle, that moves it phy­sically and actively in and from it self.

But yet further, there are certain Mo­tions that are exerted by Inanimate things, and much more by things Animate, that have not so much as an Objective Motion from without, but are wholly and entirely exerted from this inward Principle, with­out any previous Excitation, or any exter­nal Document, Custom or Instruction; such as are the Motions of heavy Bodies to the Center of the Earth, the Magnetical directions and motions of the Magnet, and especially the great Magnet of the Earth, the specifical Vertues of Vegetables, the ad­mirable Instincts of Animals, which they [Page 23] obtain, and according to them, move and dispose themselves without any previous Instruction or objective Excitation, but barely and primitively from that implanted Inclination, Form, intrinsick Principle, the very Signature and Character implan­ted in their very Natures; and we can car­ry their Operations no higher in a Series of Physical Causes than that Internal self-mo­ving Principle. And if we attempt to car­ry them further, we must at last rest and fix in that Sovereign most Perfect Being, the Glorious God, that imprinted this active Signature upon their Natures, as I shall further in the next place evidence. Therefore,

2. Upon the Consideration that there are these active self-moving Principles in many, if not all Beings, that we are acquainted with in the World, let us but now consider where we can fasten the Origination of them, and what, or who it was that im­printed these admirable active Characters at first upon things in Nature.

It is impossible they should have them from themselves, and their own activity: For, 1st. That were to suppose them to be before they were. Again, 2dly. Since it is apparent they are determined in their Being and Operations, it is necessary [Page 24] they should have a Cause of such their De­termination, as I have shewed in the for­mer Chapter. 3dly. Again, since it is ap­parent there is an admirable variety of these self-moving Principles specifically diffe­ring one from another, and yet all obser­ving and containing themselves within their several specifical Bounds and Limits of their Kinds and Natures, it must needs follow that they have their several Species, and are contained within them by a supe­riour Disponent, and not from themselves; otherwise what should hinder but that that which disposed its specifical Power in the rank of a Vegetable, should not as well dispose of it self into the rank of an Animal, or Humane Principle? For it were as well effective of the one as of the other, if it disposed it self, and probably would take up the most perfect Form, or Vis Essenti­alis. It remains therefore that those Forms or Essentiales Vires aut Virtutes, were primitively and in their original are à Dispo­nente, from some Superiour Power, that at first imprinted this Character upon them with great Wisdom and Goodness.

Therefore it remains that this Vis or Virtus thus specify'd and determined, hath its Origination and Determination from some other Being. And if we shall sup­pose [Page 25] that this Vis or Virtus Essentialis & Specifica hath its Origination from Matter it self, and its various Modifications, we are still besides the Mark; 1st. Because that Vis or Virtus Essentialis is a distinct Entity from Matter, and though it resides in it, it is a differing Entity from it. 2dly, It is a Nature or Entity above the power of Matter, and therefore the Eductio For­marum è potentia Materia is an unconcep­tible Hypothesis. If it were in the Body of Matter before, how came it thither? If it were not there before, it is impossible that it should be educible out of it by the force of any bare natural Agent: Indeed the Agent may modifie and dispose the Matter, so as to be a convenient Instru­ment for the Vis or Virtus that before re­sided in it, to act and exert its Activity; but it can never give it a Being, but either it must find it there, or bring it thither; for dull unactive Matter, that seems to be purely Passive, can never yield it. 3dly, But suppose that the various Modification of Matter were sufficient, so as from thence that active Principle, which we call the Form or Essential Virtue, might emerge, yet still it leaves us in the dark without the Supposition of such an Agent of that admirable Wisdom, Knowledge [Page 26] and Power, that could and did at first so dextrously modifie that Matter, that it could produce those Exquisite Exertions of Moti­ons, Propensions and Appearances, so uni­formly, regularly, and unerringly, as we see in Vegetables, Animals, and this little Particle of Nature, the Magnet. Let us search within the whole compass of Nature. What Man, or Counsel of Men can, or ever could effect it? The Dove of Archi­tas, and the Clock of Strasburgh are poor inconsiderable Automata in comparison of a Fly or a Flea.

But the truth is, it is neither the Modi­fication of Matter, nor any other Natural Agent, that upon the score of its own Strength, or the single Activity of any Natural Agent, can alone produce this self-moving Principle, which I call the Vis Essentialis, others call Form. It is an En­tity of another Nature from Matter: And although the Origination of Matter it self, and the moulding of it into those admirable Orders, Positions, and goodly Structures, which we daily behold in the great Inte­grals of the Universe, are evident Indica­tions of the Power and Wisdom of the Great Architect of the World; yet these are not to be compared to most of those self-moving Powers, that the God of Na­ture [Page 27] hath disseminated, and sent abroad into these and most other of the Particles of Nature.

And this Vis or Virtus, these Principia Motiva, I look upon as the most Glorious and Wonderful part of the Creation: Nei­ther is it possible by any means to deduce their first Original but from the Divine Power and Efficiency. Let all the Men in the World put their Heads, and their Wits, and their Skill, and their Hands to­gether, they can never originally imprint upon any Matter the Magnetical Motions of a poor inconsiderable Loadstone, much less those self-moving Principles of a higher Nature, as those of Life, Sense, or Rea­son, which we daily behold in the Vege­tables, Sentient and Rational Province.

What a stir have the Chymists made to make Gold, though it have none of those self-moving Principles in it that we see in a Magnet, and yet how pitifully therein they delude themselves and others. But who ever could de novo frame a Magnet with all its Magnetical Motions, unless it were by putting together some Particles of the same Stone, that had a prior Mag­netical Virtue infus'd in them by Nature, or by the Earth, the primum magneticum?

[Page 28]And if any Man shall tell me, that we need not go so high as Almighty God in the Production of Natural Automata; for Vegetables and Animals daily propagate their Kinds, which, when propagated, have within them their self-moving Prin­ciples, which yet they had à generantibus; and the Magnet it self hath its Production by the Earth:

I have prevented this Objection in the beginning of this Chapter, wherein I have taken notice, that some Natural Automata have their Origination independent upon any other Natural Cause, as the Magne­tism of the Earth, and the Primogenial Pro­ductions of Animals and Vegetables. O­thers have their Origination by Propaga­tion, &c. as Magnets, and things produced ex Semine: But in all those the illation of a Sovereign Cause of them is equally ne­cessary in respect of the Nature of the self-moving Principles themselves, which in their primitive Constitution require no less than the Sovereign Cause of all things: And in their mediate Production still the Producents are but his Instruments, and are productive of them in the vigour of that Law and Institution that the God of Na­ture hath given and established for them. All the Communications of these Vires or [Page 29] Virtutes Essentiales, either ex semine, or by propagation, as in Vegetables and Ani­mals, or by contact or irradiation, as of Fire or Magnets, are but a continuation of the first primitive Virtutes Essentiales, that were at first lodged in the primitives or first Individuals of their Species by the imme­diate Power of Almighty God; yea, the very Vis Productiva of them was but a part of that primitive Essential Virtue that was lodged by the Finger of God in their primitive Natures and first Individuals. And therefore in all the successive Speci­fical and Essential Vertues, and self-mo­ving Principles that now are, or ever have been in the World by Seminal Propagation, Contact, or Irradiation, we must have the same recourse to the Supreme Cause no less than in the first Individuals or Subjects in which they were at first lodged.

HE that attentively considers all the Works of Nature, will find Four Kinds of Adaptations in them.

I. An Adaptation of their Organs to their several and respective Essential Powers, or Faculties, or Inclinations and Motions.

II. An Adaptation both of their Organs and Faculties to their own Good, and use­fulness of their Being.

III. In many of them an Adaptation not only to the Convenience of their Indi­viduals, but to the Preservation of their Kinds or Species.

IV. An Adaptation and Accommodation of their Organs, Powers, and Motions to [Page 31] other parts of the Universe, and the com­mon Good of other parts of Nature; and the Order, Beauty, and Use of all the rest.

This a Man might easily see in the whole Compages and several Parts of the Universe, that occurs to our Sense or Ob­servation; in the Heavenly Bodies, in the Elementary World, in the several Pro­vinces of the Mineral, the Vegetable, the Animal, and the Rational Nature: The Induction of Particulars in each of these would make an Immense Volume: I will therefore confine my self to the Subject in hand, namely, Magnetical Bodies.

The Earth hath a double Magnetism, 1. One that is only such Analogically, as it is the Center of heavy Bodies. 2. The other is really such, whereby it composeth it self to a Polar Direction.

The former or Analogical Magnetism; it is marvelous to see that their should be such an habitude and adaptation between heavy Bodies and the Earthly Globe. 1st. That all heavy Bodies of what Kind or Nature soever within this Verge of the Elementary World, should move to the Earth. 2dly, That this Motion should not be at random or obliquely, but regularly, uniformly, and perpendicularly to the Center of the Earth, [Page 32] and this from all Parts of this Inferiour World circumjacent to the Earth. 3dly, That this Motion of heavy Bodies to the Center of the Earth, should not be indif­ferently and equally from all Parts of the same heavy Body, but precisely the Center of Gravity of every heavy Body should be the Point, and make up that Line of its Motion; so that if the Line of its Motion could be exactly observed, it would be a streight Line terminated at the one extream with the Center of the Earth, and at the other extream with the Center of Gravity of the descending Body. And consequently, 4thly. That the heavy Body hath not only a Motion to the Center, but its Motion is directed in the shortest way towards its Journey's end, viz. by a streight Perpen­dicular Line, which it always observes in its Natural Course without any Variation, unless accidentally impeded. And this Course they constantly hold. And this mu­tual habitude between the Center of the Earth and the Center of heavy Bodies is fixed and settled in them with an unerring Appetite and Tendency, without any pre­vious Knowledge of the one or the other: The Center of the heavy Bodies knows not the Center of the Earth, yet thither it moves with a connatural Inclination, and [Page 33] never errs in its Journey. And certainly he that will but take the pains to think, shall find that this unobserved habitude ad­mirably conduceth; 1st. To the good of the heavy Bodies themselves; 2dly. To the maintaining of the due Consistency of the Parts of this Lower World; 3dly. To the Conservation of its Figure, which is most suitable to its firmness and stability, and the use of the Creatures in it; 4thly. To the inriching and fortifying of it by Rain and other Meteors; 5thly. To an in­finite number of Mechanical Services for the necessary Use of Mankind, as building Houses, Navigation of Ships, mutual Com­merce. And all this, and much more, re­sults from this habitude and correspondence between the Center of the Earth and the Center of heavy Bodies in their Motions, whether we entertain the Common or the Copernican Hypothesis.

2. The real Magnetism of the Earth: By this it is always kept in the same Polar Po­sition, which it can never vary from by any Created Force whatsoever.

And by the advantage thereof, it be­comes a fit and settled Habitation for Man­kind; it receives a constant and regular Influx from the Heavenly Bodies; the Measures and Discriminations of Time are [Page 34] thereby settled, the Seasons of the Year fixed and orderly disposed, a sufficient part of habitable Ground set out and accommo­dated for Men and Animals; all which would be put into a confusion and disorder, if the Earth should Fluctuate from its Po­lar Position.

Come we again to consider this lesser Earth, the terreaea, or filius terrae. It is ad­mirable to observe how all his Inclinati­ons and Motions are fitted for its own pre­servation, and for the common good of Mankind: As for Instance, 1st. That it should so strongly incline to the Earth, from which it had its Magnetism, never resting till its Axis is conformable to the Axis of the Earth, and joyning to it. 2dly. That it should affect such a Position to the Earth, and other Magnets, which though seemingly contradictory, yet most natu­rally maintains and preserves its Magne­tical Virtue, viz. by obverting its dissimi­lar Pole to the dissimilar Pole of another Magnet or Magnetical Body. 3dly. That it should with all imaginable Industry flye and avoid that Position with another Mag­net, that would hurt and injure its Mag­netical Virtue, namely, the Similar Face flyes the Similar. 4thly. That it should with an Appetite little less than Sensient [Page 35] reach after these Magnetical Effluxes from the Earth or other Bodies, that may feed and preserve its Magnetical Virtue, as in its attraction upon Iron, and Motions of Declination. 5thly. That, whereas the habitude of other heavy Bodies is by a di­rect Line from the Center of its Gravity to the Center of the Earth, this hath a habitude to the Axis and Poles of the Earth, from whence it hath the most con­venient access and supply of Magnetical Virtue. 6thly. That it should have an Orbe of its Virtue both Directive and At­tractive, thereby the more effectually to supply its Magnetism and Magnetical Vir­tue at a distance, and without any imme­diate Contact. And all this, and many more Accommodations to its self and its own Preservation it hath by a connatural implanted Inclination and Vertue. And, which adds to the Wonder;

1st. That though these admirable In­stincts and Inclinations have as great an Analogy almost as is possible to an animate Nature, yet we cannot find any other Footsteeps of Sensation or sensible Percep­tion in it more than what the bare Inclina­tions themselves exhibit.

2dly. And, which is yet more Wonder­ful, that whereas Animals and Vegetables [Page 36] have Organs accommodated to their Pow­ers, this exerts all these Motions meerly by the strength and vigour of its Innate Virtue, without any Organs, that we can perceive, fitted to these Motions: It sucks and attracts without any Mouth; moves without Feet or Hand; knows its Friend and Enemy without Eyes to see, or No­strils to smell it.

The Habitudes and Respects, that weighty Bodies bear to the common Cen­ter of the Earth, and that Magnetical Bo­dies bear to the Axis of the Earth, can­not possibly arise from any Natural or Phy­sical Virtue, that is either in the Center of the Earth simply as such, to attract heavy Bodies, or in the Axis of the Earth simply as such, to conform the Motions of Mag­netical Bodies to it. For the Center of the Earth is but a Mathematical Point, and the Axis of the Earth but a Mathema­tical Line, and therefore simply as such, are wholly void of any Activity, Power or Agency. But it is that most Intelligent, Infinitely Wise, Powerful and Beneficent Being, that hath institued and settled those admirable Powers, Habitudes and Respects in those Integrals of the Universe, where­by that admirable Order is kept between the several parts thereof, for the Beauty [Page 37] of the World, the Mutual Good of all its parts, the due Compagination of them each to other, and for the Glory of the Great Architect and Lord of the Universe.

AS the due Contemplation of the Works of Nature, and particularly of this in Hand, carries us necessarily to the acknowledgment of a Supreme Cause, and the Existence of that most Perfect Be­ing, which we call GOD: so the like observation will give us some Strictures of the Nature of that most Sovereign Be­ing, namely, his Wisdom, Goodness and Power.

It is a vast and goodly Portion of the Universe that is every day objected to our [Page 38] Sight and View, and yet in all proba­bility even that which we daily see and view, is but a small Portion of the vast Continent of the Universe. The Ancient and Modern Astronomers have calculated the number of those Stars and Asterisms that are ordinarily seen, yet if a Man doth but consider with himself what an Im­mense number of Stars do at some times appear in clear Nights, over what do or­dinarily appear; if a Man doth consider what Multitudes of Stars are discovered by Telescopes, as in the Milky-way, the Pleiades, and other Asterisms, which with­out such helps, are not discoverable to our Sight; if a Man considers that pos­sibly those Stars, which seem of the least Magnitude, may yet have that appear­ance, in respect of their vast distance from us; and possibly there may be such which are not Conspicuous to our Sight in re­spect of their distance, which may yet be greater and more in number than those that by reason of their greater Vicinity to us are ordinarily seen: I say he that con­siders these things, may have reason to think that Maxima pars eorum quae videmus, est minima pars eorum quae non videmus.

But again, let us consider those Parts of the Universe which we see, the Sun, the [Page 39] Moon, the Planets, the visible Stars, &c. yet God knows we see but a little part of that we see. We know not their Na­tures, their Furnitures, their Motions, their Ends, their Uses; how many com­plicated Ends and Uses there may be and are of their Motions, Influxes and Dispo­sitions. There is not a Star in Heaven but may have thousands of Uses and Ends, which we can never by all our observation discover. If a Man should be supposed to be rapt up into a Star as soon as he were born, and should from thence be­hold the Earth on which we live, he would indeed have the view of this Massy Globe of the Earth, as we from hence do behold the great Planetary Bodies of Saturn or Mars, but he could never know the huge variety of Rational, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Elementary Bodies that are in it, nor that Excellent and Useful Disposition of the Parts thereof, of the Meteors of all kinds, that are subservient to it, and infinite more, that we that inhabit it, do daily observe: And it is not impossible, no nor unlikely, that in those great distant Planetary and Heavenly Bodies there may be Concre­ments of infinite more Excellencies than this Lower World affords our daily view and observation.

[Page 40]But yet in that narrow Prospect that we have, of these vast distant Coelestial and Planetary Bodies, we cannot choose but observe, 1st. Admirable Beauty; 2dly. Singular Order in their Motions, which they constantly observe; 3dly. Admirable Accommodation of one part thereof to a­nother, and of all of them to the Beauty, Order and Convenience of the Universe and all its Parts.

I confess I never was of that narrow Thought that the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and Planets, were made singly for the Use of this Lower World wherein we live, muchless for the single and sole use of Man: The infinitely Wise God hath the Prerogative in all his Works to have va­rious Complicated Ends in all his Works, which we can never attain to the full Comprehension of: yet thus much I must ever acknowledge to the Glory of the Wisdom and Goodness of that Sovereign Being, that all things are so ordered to the good of every thing in the Universe, that it could not possibly be better; and all things are so appositly framed for the use of each other, as could not possibly be better if no other end but that end had been singly aimed at by him that made them. What a Condition were Mankind in, if he were [Page 41] destituted of all the Influences of the Hea­vens, the Light, Heat and Motion of the Sun; the Accommodations of Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Vegetables, Animals, Minerals, Meteors, and infinite more?

If we come down to the Consideration of this Lower World, which is more with­in our view and prospect, it is admirable to consider the singular Subserviency of all the Inferiour sort of Creatures to the more Noble and Superiour; how the Elemen­tary Bodies, and Meteors, and Minerals; are subservient to the Vegetable Province; and how the same Bodies and also Vege­tables are subservient to the Use of the A­nimal Province; and how both Minerals, Elementary Bodies, Meteors, Vegetables, and Animals, are subservient to the Hu­mane Nature.

If a Man consider how some are for his Food, some for his Clothing, some for his Habitation, some for his Defence, some for his Delight, some for his Medicine and Physick; how adequately some Animals are in all respects fitted for Portage, the Bunches of Camels, the Foot and Swift­ness of the Horse, the Strength of the Ox for Draught; nay, what admirable Effi­cacies pitiful little inconsiderable Vege­tables, Insects, parts of Living Creatures, [Page 42] have for the Health, and Preservation, and Restitution of the Humane Nature from Sickness, and Hurts, and Pains: I say, if a Man consider distinctly these little things, he must acknowledge an admirable Wis­dom and Goodness, that thus accommo­dates the Works of Nature each to other, especially to that Noblest of the Visible Creatures of this Lower World, Man.

These admirable Accommodations could never happen by Chance or blind Fortune. One single Occurrence or Consistence may have some pretence to an Origination by Chance; but a Connexion of several Ac­commodations could no more come by Chance, than (to use Tully's Expression) the casual Coincidence of the several Let­ters of the Alphabet could make up one of Ennius his Poems. This Order there­fore and Accommodation of things of se­veral Natures one to another, do invincibly Evidence, 1st. A Supreme Goodness and Wisdom that hath thus established every thing in the Best Order, and for the Best Uses. 2dly. An Infinite Wisdom, Power and Goodness, that concerns not it self singly in the greater and nobler Concerns of the Universe, the Regiment and Order of the Bodies and Motions of the Stars, and Planetary Bodies, which are the greatest [Page 43] and most Majestick Pieces of the Universe that we know, but states and settles, and orders and disposeth the Oeconomy of the very meanest Particles of Nature, Vegeta­bles, Insects, Animals, and adapts them to their own accommodation, to the ac­commodation one of another, and to the Service and Convenience of Mankind.

And the reason of all this admirable ac­commodation of things even unto the very lowest Rank of Beings, by the Wise Dis­poser of the Universe, is because his Un­derstanding is infinite, his Prospect into all things exquisite, perfect and indeficient. That Idea that he had in his Sovereign Mind, was not only of the great Integrals of Nature, the vast heavenly, planetary, and elementary Bodies, but also of the smallest Furnitures thereof. The great Architect of the World had in his View and Design, not only the great Contignati­ons of the Universe, but every little Pin, every Flourish and Interstice of it. And that as in the Design of the Jewish Taber­nacle, Exod. 24.1, &c. the Lord gave out a perfect Pattern or Figure of the whole Fa­brick thereof, unto Moses, even to the smal­lest Integrals thereof, according to which that curious Structure was formed; so the Great Creator in the Creation and Dispo­sition [Page 44] of the Universe, had the full and compleat Idea thereof, even to the smallest Integral of it, and according to which, he made and dispos'd it. And this is that which the Prophet insinuateth, Psal. Known unto the Lord are all his works from the beginning. He giveth all things their meat in due season. But I shall lose my self in this vast Contemplation. I shall therefore bring my self nearer to my Sub­ject in hand.

If a Man considers the Earth and its In­habitants, he shall find some such Observa­bles as these: 1st. That although almost e­very Island and Continent afford sufficient store of Things of absolute Necessity for its Inhabitants, yet one Country affords some things for Delight, other things for Convenience, that other Countries want; as may appear in Minerals, Fruits, Wines, Spices, Jewels, Gums, Physical Herbs, Materials for Cloathing, and infinite vari­ety of Manufactures. 2. That from hence ariseth a mutual Habitude and Intercourse between the Inhabitants of the World, as far as the Opportunities of visiting each o­ther's Country will permit, whereby one Country may supply the Defects and Wants, and answer the Conveniencies of another. 3. That from hence it comes to [Page 45] pass by mutual intercourse thus occasioned, the more civilized Part of the World be­come like a common Ferment to the rest of Mankind, derive to them the Know­ledge of Religion, Learning, Arts, Sci­ences, Manufactures; have opportunity to rectifie their Errors and Mistakes in Re­ligion, in Government, in Laws, in Arts and Sciences; whereby a mutual Commu­nication and kind of intervenient Society is or may be propagated and preserved in the World, and every part thereof the better cultivated, civilized, ordered and reduced. 4. If the whole Earth were one entire Continent of firm and dry Land, it were not possible this Intercourse, mutual Ha­bitude, and Conversation could be main­tained, especially by those Countries that are more remote, as the Western Parts of Europe, with those of Asia, or with those of America. 5. Again, although when the World was but scantly Peopled there was room enough, and more than enough for them, in a narrow Spot of that great Continent, and they were not soon disper­sed into great Distances one from another, and so might with more facility maintain Converse and Communion each with other by Land-Journeys: but when in process of Time they were multiplied and sought [Page 46] out remoter Parts for Habitation, their Distances would make Communication by Land-Journeys more difficult. 6. It is therefore admirable to observe how the World is ordered, that partly by the nume­rous great Rivers that discharge themselves out of all Countries into the Ocean, part­ly by the Inlets of the Ocean into the Land by Creeks and smaller Seas, as the Medi­terranean, the Arabick, and other Seas, but principally by the alluency and conti­guity of the Ocean, to the sides and Shores of great Continents, and its encompassing in of Islands and Isthmi; the Sea is a near Neighbour unto every Country, and holds a great Communion with the greatest part of every Continent. 7. Again, by the Ad­vantage of this Situation and Vicinity of the Ocean and its Parts to all Countries, the mutual Communication and Com­merce between Countries most remote one from another is maintained with great Fa­cility by the help of Navigation, which were otherwise impossible to be effected: and as all Things in Nature are full of Mo­tion, and particularly Mankind hath and must have his share therein, even by the very Law of his Creation, and the Condi­tion of his Nature; so hereby Mankind is in a great Measure put into Motion, and [Page 47] kept in it by Navigation, Trade, Com­merce, Interviews, and Intercourse for the Maintenance and Improvement of Hu­mane Society, Arts, Trades, New Disco­veries of the great Works of Nature, and infinite more Advantages. 8. It is obser­vable how the same Providence that hath thus dispos'd and configured the Earthly Globe, and indented, as it were, the dry Land and Seas for the common Conveni­ence of Mankind, hath furnished it also with Materials and Accommodations for Navigation, as Pitch, Tar, Hemp, Cor­dage, Trees fitted for Masts and Sail-Yards, Ship-Timber, and (which is the thing I aim at) with this admirable Stone, where­by the Mariner's Compasses are influenced and directed in their Polar Verticity, with­out which it is scarcely possible with any safety or certainty to steer a Course in a long Voyage at Sea, where many times the darkness of the Weather excludes the Mariner from the direction of the Sun or Stars for many days together.

It is true, 1st. That there are other Helps of Navigation besides the Pixis Nautica, as namely, the Use of the Astrolabe, or great Circle, the Observation of the Posi­tion of the Cynosure, or North-Star in the Northern Hemisphere, and of Canopus [Page 48] in the Southern Hemisphere; but yet as the former, namely the Astrolabe, is very uncertain, and requires admirable diligence and exactness, so the latter, the Positure of those Stars, is not always conspicuous in respect of the Weather. 2. That the Pixis Nautica, and its use, was not fully known in the Western World till about 1200 years after Christ, when Paulus Vene­tus brought it from the Sineses: But yet 1st. it is certain that as many Arts and Dis­coveries were far more ancient in China, and other Eastern Parts of the World than they were among us, so particularly this of the Pixis Nautica was very ancient there, so that we know not the Date of its first Discovery and Use among them. 2. If we may believe the Tradition of the An­cients, especially among the Arabians, they carry up the use of it to the Times of Solo­mon and David; Albertus Magnus to the Times of Alexander and Aristotle: and it should seem not unlikely that the Tyrians and Phenicians, who were great Masters of Sea-Affairs, and made great Voyages, were not without the Help of the Magne­tical Director.

And though it may possibly be true, that the Use of it was either restor'd, or possi­bly first brought into the Western World [Page 49] not above 400. or 500. years since, and yet some Navigation was in use in this We­stern part of Europe before that time; yet this is to be said, 1. Their Navigation was not safe, so expedite, so certain as it hath been since the use of the Pixis Nautica brought hither. 2. The Voyages and Dis­coveries were in those ancienter Times hereabouts, but short; they crept along near the Shores, guided themselves by Sea-marks, the Voyages to the Eastern and Western World, and the Discoveries of the American Continent and many We­stern Islands, having been since the Refor­mation of Navigation by the Help of the Pixis Nautica, and the great Intercourse between the West of Europe and the Ea­sterly and Western Indies being but of late, and could never be maintained without the help of this Director.

So that the late Discovery thereof to this part of the World was yet in a seasonable time, and such wherein this Expedient was most usefull and sutable to the Exigence and Convenience of Mankind. And the Divine Providence is no less conspicuous in exhibiting this to the World in its due and sutable Season, than if it had been known and in use from the beginning of Time. A little Observation will give us Instances of [Page 50] Providential Discoveries of things for the use of Mankind at such Seasons and under such Circumstances as render the Provi­dence it self the more admirable.

And though possibly the first Discovery of the Magnetical Properties and Uses may seem accidental, yet in relation to the Di­vine Providence, those things that seem to us accidental, are designed and ordered by an unerring Guidance.

When I have many times considered the many usefull Discoveries of the Vertues of Herbs, and many inconsiderable abject Simples, that are of singular use for the Health and Medicine of Mankind, which no Man could reasonably suspect before­hand to be in them, and therefore could not in probability be designedly and indu­striously experimented: And when I like­wise consider by how many unthought of Accidents those Vertues and Energies have been found out, I have abundantly satis­fied my self that those seemingly acciden­tal Discoveries have yet been made by a se­cret intelligent Dispensation of the Divine Providence for the Good of Mankind: and that the same Wisdom and Goodness that first implanted those Vertues and Energies in Vegetables and Minerals, did it designed­ly for the use and benefit of Mankind: And [Page 51] as their first Endowment with those Ver­tues was not accidental or at a venture, but by Design for those Ends, by the Di­vine Wisdom and Benignity, so the strange and unthought of Discoveries thereof to Mankind were no less designed Methods of the same Wisdom and Goodness, though to us they seem merely casual and accidental.

I do therefore upon the whole Matter look upon this little Stone, so inconsidera­ble in outward Appearance, and that ad­mirable directive Vertue thereof, its Polar Verticity, and the Power of communica­ting that Verticity to a piece of Iron or Steel, and the singular Use thereof to Man­kind, as a great Instance of the Divine Wisdom, Goodness, and Power of Al­mighty God, and of that Care and Provi­dence he exerciseth over and towards the Children of Men, and as a Design of his Goodness and Wisdom, 'specially levelled at the Good and Benefit of Mankind, and that in the most seasonable and necessary Time.

ALL the Works of God, which we commonly call the Works of Nature, are full of unimitable and inexplicable Wisdom. The very Contemplation of a Fly, or a Worm, doth nonplus all the Wit, Reason, and Understanding of the most profound Philosopher in a thousand Instan­ces, and exceeds all his Inquisitiveness, Skill and Industry to give a satisfactory Account of them. So true is that of the Wise Man as well in the Works of Na­ture as of those of Providence, Eccles. 8.17. Then I beheld all the Works of God, that a Man cannot find out the work that is done un­der the Sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it. Yea fur­ther, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

And as the Works of God are done with that unsearchable Wisdom, so they are much more unimitable by any Humane [Page 53] Skill or Understanding. When we see the choicest Mechanical Engines, that the skil­fullest Artists have invented, what are they in comparison of the curious Mechanism of the Body of a Grashopper or a Gnat? But suppose the Mechanical part might be imi­tated by some skilful Hand, what is that to the Motiva potestas & virtus, that from it self fets it in Motion? Archytas his Dove was so framed, as they say, by Engines, that it would perform a Flight; but yet when that was done, the Spring must be wound up, before it could attempt another. But the little busie Fly, that in the Sum­mer-time plays upon my Face, performs a thousand various spontaneous Motions in the Compass of an hour, and thousands more it will perform with as great variety, diversity, multiplicity and agility, from that little internal self-moving Principle lodged in it, we know not how, nor where, and moving its well ordered Me­chanical Body we know not how, nor wherewith, and that with an admirable connatural Dexterity, which she never lear­ned by Books, Instruction, or Imitation. But I shall keep my self within the Com­pass of my Subject, the Magnet and its Motions.

[Page 54]Among many other strange Motions and admirable Phenomena's that it exhibits, these are worth our Observation:

First, That an inanimate, and, as it ap­pears to us, inorganical Stone should com­pose it self by its own free Motion just to a North and South Position, that point of the Stone, that hath its North Verticity, always turning to the North, and not to the South, unless enervated by the preva­lence of another Magnet, and that which hath its South Verticity always converting it self to the South, when it enjoys the Li­berty of its own Motion.

2dly. That this Magnet should always carry about it, even without the limits of its own Body, a certain Orbe of its own Essential Vertue, that pervades the most obstinate and gross interposed Body, and Communicates it self through it.

3dly. That the same Magnet, or Mag­netically excited Body, should in a Mo­ment, in the twinkle of an Eye, convey and derive the intire Idea of its own Vigour and Vertue to another piece of Iron by one single contact or touch.

4thly. That the same Magnet or Mag­netical Body should derive from it self a Force or Energy at the same time from one Extream thereof to the other, by Vertual [Page 55] Radii extreamly contrary and repugnant each to other: that one and the same Iron Rod A B should convey a Flux of Mag­netical Vigour entirely from A to B, and at the same time the same Rod, and every part thereof should send a Radius from B to A extreamly contrary to the other, and yet neither to retund or abate the Energy of the other.

5thly. That every smallest Particle of this Magnet, every little Dust thereof should have the very same Conformation that the entire Magnet had, every little Particle having his Poles, his Equator, his Direction, Attraction, Inclination, &c. perfectly Analogal to the great Magnet, whose Dust it is.

6thly. That all these Various Motions should be thus Regularly and Uniformly exerted by its own Strength and Vigour without the assistance of any Organ, that we can by any means perceive. An Ani­mal hath a Local Motion and Conversion of it self to this or that posture; but then it hath Spirits, and Nerves, and Tendons, and Muscles, by which it begins its Mo­tion, and Legs, and Feet, and other Or­gans, by which it compleats these Mo­tions: but the Magnet converts its self to its Polar Position without any of these [Page 56] Engines to perform them. An Animal attracts his Nourishment, and unites it to it self by its Natural Heat digesting it, by its Veins and Arteries again perfecting and distributing it, and hath accordingly Vessels fitted for Attraction, Digestion and Distribution, as Mouth, Ventricle, Liver, Heart, &c. but the Attraction and Distri­bution of Magnetical Influxes is perform­ed without any so much as Visibe Pore for their Reception, nay, the more solid and unporous it is, the better and stronger it performs its Motion.

7thly. That all this is performed Regular­ly, Uniformly, Constantly, without any Deviation in the Magnet it self, unless it be by an accidental Interposition of some other Magnetical Body, that gives it a Variation. The same Magnet performs its motion in the same manner in a Tract of 40, 50, nay 100 Years, without any sensible Change. I have had by me a Magnet above 30 Years, that a former Owner had above 50 Years before that, that is as lively, regular and vigo­rous in his motions, as when I or he be­came first Owner of it.

8thly. That a Magnet, wherein there is no pret [...]nsion of a Life of Sense, nay not a Life of Vegetation, should have a kind of judiciary discrimination between that [Page 57] which is hurtfull and mischievous to his Magnetical Nature, and what is beneficial and congruous to it, and by a connatural Appetite should unite it self to the latter, and fly from and chace away the former, that the similar Pole of one Magnet should chace away the similar Pole of another Magnet, and if it be too strong, should flye from it; and that the dissimilar Pole of one Magnet should reach after, and unite it self to the dissimilar Pole of another Magnet, and that with so vigorous a Prose­cution, that it should lay aside and suspend for the present its own natural Verticity; and all because by this Conjunction and Union it receives a Fortification and cheri­shing of its Magnetical Vigour in this con­gruous Position: and all this performed constantly, unerringly, and uniformly, and that notwithstanding the interpositi­on of another gross and unporous Body: that it should thus discern a polus amicus, and a polus inimicus, without any Eyes to see the one or the other, without any Sense of Smelling to distinguish the Fracedo or Eyre of one from another, without any Nerves to give a tractile discrimination of one from another.

These, and many more Instances of a like Nature, as they discover a strange and [Page 58] wonderfull Combination of Motions in the Magnet, so they do much more advance the wonderfulness of that unseen vis or virtus residing in the Magnet by which they are exerted; but above all, doe give us admirable Instances of that wonderfull Power and Wisdom of that great Author and Lord of Nature, that should so frame and implant one Simple invisible, and, I may not amiss say, incorporeal Principle of all these strange and various Motions, that simply, and from it self and its own Fabrick and Vigour performs them even without the help of Organs to assist it.

The Skill and Art of Men hath arrived to a great Advance in contriving and ma­king curious Mechanical Engines with great variety and regularity of Motions, as is specially observable in Water-Engines, in Watches and Clocks, especially in that famed Clock of Strasburgh, wherein there are great varieties of Motions: But all these Mechanisms are still by various Mo­difications, Appositions, and Applications of Particles of Matter; this Wheel is fitted to that Wheel, and this to another; and the variety and constancy of the Motions ariseth still from the due Frame and Positi­on of material Organs.

[Page 59]But the Mechanism that is used by the great Master of Nature both in things a­nimate and inanimate, and particularly in this of the Magnet, is the admirable Fa­brick and Modification of that internal, in­sensible, immaterial Power, or active Prin­ciple it self; it is the curious, various, ad­mirable Modification, Disposition, and Or­dination of the primitive Vigour and Pow­er that is implanted in the automata of Na­ture, that gives and directs their Motions.

It is true, the Mechanism of Animals, yea and Vegetables also is most admirable, and exceeds the imitation of any humane Artist, as might easily be evidenced by an Induction of Particulars. He that reads Galen de Ʋsu Partium, will find admirable Instances thereof in all, even the most in­considerable Parts of the Humane Stru­cture.

But even this Mechanism of the Parts of Men or Animals, is not to be compared to the admirable Mechanism, if I may so call it, of Essential Powers and Faculties:

First, They are of several kinds in some Natures, and particularly this of the Mag­net, there is an admirable disposition of essential, primitive, self-moving Powers, and of admirable variety, when yet, as before I have observed, there appears no [Page 60] disposition or accommodation of Organs for the exerting of those Powers, but the Magnetical Vertue, though it is beholding to the Magnet for its Habitation, yet it useth it only as a Lodging, or as a Shop or Laboratory wherein to work, but exerts its Motions primitively and immediately by its own intrinsick, essential Power and E­nergy.

Secondly, In those Beings that are endu­ed with Organs fitted and accommodated to their Operations, as Men, Animals, Vegetables, yet herein is apparent the great Pre-eminence of that internal, essential Vi­gour whereof I speak, and the high de­monstration of the admirable Composure and Modification thereof, and consequent­ly the wonderful Wisdom and Power of him that first moulded and framed it; name­ly, 1. That it is prior in operation to the Completion, yea to the very inception of any organical Parts of the Body. That little punctum saliens in conceptu begins the Dance of the Sentient Life, when it had no other Organ but a thin Film to keep it together, and that of its own spinning al­so. Again, 2. Because the very Organiza­tion of the Parts of Animals and Vegeta­bles is the immediate Effect of that vital Principle which we call the vital or ani­mal [Page 61] Soul, which moulds the Body to its specifical Shape.

And certainly had Descartes, and others of his too adoring Followers, but taken so much leisure as to have thought of this, they could not have been so stupid as to think that the whole Motion of Animals was but from an Organical Disposition of Parts, or a piece of material Mechanism, when it is apparent beyond Contradiction, that the vital, animal Principle is prece­dent to the Organization of the Body, and is that which it self originally and imme­diately Organizeth the Body according to a kind of specifical Idea, lodged in that ani­mal and vital Principle by the Law, Insti­tution, and Ordination of the Sovereign Lord of Nature.

Upon the whole Matter, I therefore conclude, that in all the Works of Nature, which exhibit an internal regular Principle of their Motion, and particularly in this of the Magnet, but more eminently in vital Beings, the Mechanism, if I may so call it, or the Frame, Texture, and Dispo­sition of self-moving Powers, especially those that exhibit so great variety, order, and congruity of their Motions, the Wis­dom, Power and Goodness of Almighty God, is more signal and admirable, than [Page 62] in the best Pieces of corporeal Mechanism that Nature or Art can Exhibit; and there­fore I must still conclude with the Psalmist, Psal. 104.24. O Lord how wonderfull are thy Works! in Wisdom hast thou made them all. All thy Works shew thy Wisdom; the Fabrick of the World, of every parti­cular Vegetable or Animal; but the tran­scendency of thy Wisdom is yet more con­spicuous in the Structure and Composure of self-moving, vital, sentient, intellective Faculties than in the most elegant Compo­sure of organical Bodies. Take a Rose, a Grape, the Kernel of a Nut, an excellent Painter will give a very lively Shadow of it in Colours, but he gives it not its bulk and figure: A good Artificer will make its fi­gure, and adorn it with Colours represent­ing it, but he gives it not its Smell or Taste: A good Confectioner may possibly influence it with some weak imitation of its Smell and Taste; but yet in all these Attempts it falls infinitely short of that vi­vid and lively Colour, Shape, Taste, or Smell, of the Prototype it self. But sup­pose that Art could equal Nature in all those Appearances, yet still there is some­thing, aliquid intùs, that all the humane Skill in the World can never reach to effect, namely, the Vital Principle, by which [Page 63] these Vegetables exert the vital Acts of Conformation, Growth, Vegetation, and seminal Production.

And thus I have done with these Con­templations of the Divine Power, Wis­dom and Goodness, that this small Portion of Nature, the Magnet affords, or occasi­ons to me. But if this little Particle of Natural Powers yields such a Stock of Ex­hibitions of that Wisdom, Power, and Goodness; Lord, what a Store would a distinct and accurate Consideration of the other more Noble Portions of the Universe afford? viz. the Consideration of the curi­ous Structure of the animal Bodies, and their admirable Faculties of sentient Per­ception, Phantasie, Memory, Appetite, and Motions of their sentient Principle; the Majestick and Noble Fabrick of the humane Body, the admirable Faculties of Intellect and Will, the orderly Position and Frame of the Elements, and Elementary World; the goodly, vast and beautifull Structure of the Heavenly Bodies, their orderly Positions and Motions, their won­derful Influences: and yet all these put to­gether falling short of a full Exhibition of the infinite Glory, Wisdom, Power, and Goodness of him that made and ordered them, who hath still an infinite, unexhausti­ble [Page 64] residue of Power, Wisdom, and Good­ness, beyond what the whole Universe can fully and adequately render or represent.

Still therefore I must conclude as I be­gan, O Lord, how wonderful are thy Works! in Wisdom hast thou made them all. And now I shall proceed to some further and. more usefull Considerations that imports us in the highest kind.

I cannot say that Magnetical Speculati­ons are my Instructions or Guide in them; for they are of a higher Nature, and a no­bler Use than Magnetical Appearances are fitted for. These are therefore but Occasi­ons and Exercitations of my ensuing Thoughts and Meditations.

SImilitudes and Symbols have their use to explicate even Divine Matters. Our great Master Christ Jesus was frequent in the use of them, and so long as we keep within due Bounds of Sobriety and Mode­sty we may imitate him herein: but I con­fess [Page 65] it is easie and too usual for Men here­in to transgress their Bounds, and then the Discourses of this Nature become dange­rous, or at least, slight and trivial, and un­worthy of, and unsutable to the excellent Subject, that Men intend to serve or ex­plicate thereby. And possibly some that have gone before me in the bringing Di­vine Mysteries to the Rule and Model of Magnetical Observations, have gone too far herein.

These are commonly the Faults that e­scape Men in Symbolical Divinity, and ex­plicating Divine Truths by natural Ap­pearances or Reduction to them:

1. When they use those Symbolical Me­dia not barely as Explications, but as Proofs or Demonstrations of Divine Mysteries, which is certainly a Fault; for surely things Natural and things Divine, are of a different nature and order, and in many particulars of quite a different Reason one from another.

2. When Men think to give a full and adequate Explication of Divine Mysteries by Natural Appearances.

3. When they follow the Analogy be­tween them too far, and beyond their just and due Measure and Proportion, and be­yond the Terms and Limits of Sobriety, [Page 66] which oftentimes occasions this Inconve­nience; that other Persons perchance ob­serve other Instances wherein the Analogy holds not, or at least draws some absurd Consequences with it, which many times renders the overstrained Analogies, that the former have given, vain and sometimes ridiculous.

And these Errors we may observe in ma­ny Persons, that have addicted themselves to some kinds of Secular Knowledge and Observations, and are so deeply affected with it, that they fondly reduce even Di­vine Things to the Measure and Reason of those affected Parcels of Secular Learning, and thereby make an unhandsome and un­seemly Medly thereof. Thus Behem and Paracelsus, and some others, that have been transported with Chymistry, have reduced even their Notions of Divini­ty into a Conformity thereunto: Others, that are very much affected to some Parts of Natural Philosophy digested into their own Method, have done the like, as the Author of the Teutonick Philosophy: the like hath been done by the Affectors of the Jewish Cabalistiques; and possibly some that have much travelled in Magnetick Philosophy.

[Page 67]I am not therefore of their mind, that the sublime Mysteries of Divinity are to be governed or measured by Magnetical Motions: all I shall do shall be to borrow some Instances from the latter to explain my Conceptions of the former, and to make use sometimes of those Terms that are used in Magnetical Learning, to expli­cate those Conceptions where they bear a just Analogy to them, such as are Magne­tism, Attraction, Conversion, Aversion, Position, Verticity, Direction, Motion, Rest. And although I do not in the least manner imagine that the Pen-men of the Sacred Scriptures had any respect unto, no nor perchance any cognizance of Magne­tical Natures in their various Expressions, yet certainly the Sacred Scripture hath di­vers Expressions, that in themselves bear a great Analogy with the Terms above used; which (is) a tolerable Excuse, if not a Justification, of me, in applying these Terms to signifie or express the things I mean; and in making use of that Analogy which they bear with them. Such as are, Turn us, Jer. 31.18. and we shall be turned; Convert us, and we shall be converted; their hearts were turned back from following the Lord: [Page 68] My soul followeth hard after thee; Psal. 63.8. Cant. 1.4. Jo. 12.32. Psal. 78.37. Psal. 25.15.141.8. Draw me, and I shall run after thee; If I be lifted up I will draw all men to me; His heart was not right with the Lord; My Eyes are always towards thee; and infinite more Expressions of that Na­ture.

IT is certain that every thing in the World hath its Beauty, and that Per­fection and Felicity that it is capable of, in holding that place, state, position and or­der, that the Glorious GOD instituted for it; and when it is out of that state and position, it contracts Deformity, Disorder, and Discomposure; as a Bone out of Joint, or as the Blood or Spirits in the Body being out of their proper Vessels, from whence follows Corruption, Discomposure, Pain, and Disease.

And therefore Aristotle was not out of the way, when, as I remember, some­where he tells us that cuj [...]que locus naturalis [Page 69] est sui conservativus; and therefore every thing hath a kind of innate and connatural Appetite to his own Place.

The Humane Soul, as it proceeded from God by a singular and special kind of Effla­tion, not common to the production of o­ther Creatures;Fecisti nos, Domine, ad te, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te. Aug. 1. Conf. c. 1. so by the Law and Constitution of its Creation, the true, ge­nuine, and proper positi­on and respect thereof was, and is to be, to that God, from whence it thus marvellously at first proceeded; and in that state, respect, and position, it had and hath its Happiness, its Perfection, its Composure, Quietness, Serenity, and Rest, both in this Life and that which is to come.

And I call the due Position and Respect of the Soul to God, when it is frequently ta­ken up with the Thoughts of him; when it fears, loves, honours, and obeys him; when it is inquisitive what his Will is, that it may obey him; when it is sensible of his Presence, Majesty, Greatness, Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and Truth; and com­ports its self before him, sutable hereunto, in all Piety, Righteousness, Justice, Sobri­ety, and Integrity. And when the Soul is in such a Frame, it is in its due state, posi­tion [Page 70] and respect to God; and when it is out of this Frame it is out of joynt, dis­ordered, and unhappy.

And we need no clearer Evidence hereof than a due consideration of this double State of Mankind; namely, in this life, and that which is to come, in a State of Aversation from this his due Position.

First, Let us consider a Man in this life, in his State of Aversation from God, and from that due position and respect that it should have to God, in Subjection to him, Obedience unto him, Fear and Love of him.

As soon as the first Man, by the Sugge­stion and Temptation of Satan, and by gi­ving way to Lust and Pride, averted him­self from God, presently there followed in his Soul, Guilt and Shame, the bitter Re­flections of his own Conscience, sorrow, vexation, disorder, and disquietness with­in, and a curse, labour, and crosses with­out.

Again, look upon the State of any Man at this day, forsaking his due respect and position to Almighty God, and converting himself wholly or chiefly, to the Pleasures, Profits, or worldly Contentments of this Life, we shall find him restless and un­satisfied in all his Pursuits; when he hath [Page 71] attained one pleasure or profit, he is tyred and weary with it, and restless in it, still pursuing others, and in the midst of all his Enjoyments full of Fears, Anxieties, and Discontents, and still wants that Satisfacti­on that his Soul would fain enjoy, but can­not, for it is out of its place, order, and due position, that the true Law of his Na­ture hath stated for him, namely, his know­ledge of God, his love to him, his endea­vour to serve and obey him, his delight in him. Hither the bent, the tendency, the cuspis, the apex of his Soul should be dire­cted, but it is unnaturally turned off from that position, and converted to that which cannot satisfie. And this makes the Soul restless and uneasie in the midst of the Enjoyment of what it desires.

2. Consider it with relation to that fu­ture Life of the Soul, which will certainly be after the Death of the Body. In that State the Pleasures, Profits, Honours, Con­tentments of this World, are wholly insig­nificant; they are Entertainments fitted on­ly for the Meridian of this Life, and are in no sort accommodated to the next: For, of what use can carnal Delights, sensu­al Pleasures, Bags of Money, great Conti­nents and Tracts of Land, Titles of Ho­nour, and these other things, that the Men [Page 72] of this World make their expectation, of what use can these be to a separated Soul? And yet when the Soul hath in this Life by long Custom changed, as it were, its true position and verticity, and wholly or chief­ly converted it self to these Enjoyments, and wholly estranged it self from God and his fear and love, as it falls so it lyes, and hath no other relish of any other Delights or Expectations, than what it made its Bu­siness and Felicity here; whereby it comes to pass that she is wholly disappointed and at a Loss in that other Life, finding no­thing there which she made her Enjoyment and Felicity here. And certainly, were there no other Hell to be expected or fear­ed, this miserable Disappointment of a Soul that hath thus changed and lost its true Verticity, is Hell enough.

Therefore whatever Men may think, it is most certain that the true, natural, and ge­nuine State of the Soul consists in a most sincere and hearty Conversion of it self to God; and the Conversion of the Soul from God to the Creature, is a most un­natural State and Position of the Soul.

And if any Man now enquire, how it then comes to pass that at any time the Soul of any, especially that the generality of Mankind should be thus befooled and be­witched [Page 73] with this World, as to convert it self and its position wholly or principally to it?

I Answer, though there may be many other Reasons also given, yet this shall serve at present: The humane Soul, as it stands united to the Body, hath two princi­ples in it; the one, that which should be indeed the regnant governing Principle, the Intellectual Power; and this hath a secret Byass in it towards Almighty God, and his Love, Fear, and Obedience: the other that which indeed should be in Subjection, namely, the sensual part, which naturally respects the pleasures, contentments, and delights of this World, and such Provisions as may be subservient to them, as Riches, Honour, &c. Now if the intellectual Part be so servile and base as to be overmatched by the sensual, or to be carried and gover­ned by it, the true genuine Verticity or Di­rection of the Soul is in a manner altered and transposed; especially if that prevalence be strengthned by long Custom and Usage, which gives a kind of other Nature to the Soul, than what is truly natural to it; whereby it comes to pass in process of time, that the whole Soul, even the intellectual part thereof, becomes sensual, and is en­tirely leavened with a sensual Ferment, if I [Page 74] may so call it, and so habituated to a con­stant Conversion of it self to the World, as if indeed it were no other than a sensual Soul, the innate and connatural Characters of even Natural Religion being wonderful­ly obscured and weakened in it.

THe true and natural state and position of the Soul of Man, consists in the entire converting of it self to God, the Author and End of its Being, in all Sub­mission and Obedience, in Gratitude and Thankfulness, in Resignation and Depen­dance, in Worship and Adoration, in Sin­cerity and Uprightness. And in this Posi­tion and State it first stood before the Apo­stasy of the first Man. And besides what is mentioned in the former Chapter, there were three things especially that carried off the Soul from this state and position, and still very much obtain among the Children of Adam.

[Page 75]1. A want of due Attention to those Na­tural and implanted Principles of Religion and Piety, that are connatural to the Soul, radicated in it, and with due Attention ca­pable of great Advance and Improvement.

2. The Byass and Inclination of the sen­sual Appetite to present and sensual Delights, and affectation of the present worldly Ad­vantages, which are a sort of Provisions for these sensual Lusts, as Wealth, Honour, Worldly Power, Glory, Splendour, which wheel about the Soul towards them, a­vert it from its Duty unto, and Delight in God, and corrupt and imbase, and prosti­tute the humane Soul. And thereby it comes to pass, in the Soul thus displac'd from its true position, that these very ex­ternal Blessings that Almighty God lends us to draw us to him, as Health, Strength, Wealth, Reputation, Honour, Abundance of all external good things, are made so many Means of averting the Soul from that God that gives them, and makes us place our whole Desires towards them and delight in them, and to forget that God that gives them.

3. The Temptations and subtle Insinua­tions of Satan, that Enemy of Mankind, who being irrecoverably fallen from his Duty to his Maker, useth all the Means [Page 76] he can to avert the Souls of Men from God, and to render them as irrecoverably lost as himself.

There seems also to be Three great Means to retain the Human Soul in its just and due Respect and Position toward Almighty God, and to reduce him to it, and thereby to at­tain that Happiness and Felicity, that is sutable to his Condition: For it is a certain Truth, as I have before observed, That every created Being then, and only then, attains that Felicity that it is capable of, when it stands in that Place, Station, Posi­tion, and Order, that the Wise and Glori­ous God hath appointed and instituted for it; and when it loseth that Station or Po­sition, it is like a Bone out of joint, full of disorder, discomposure, and Pain.

The First is that Connatural Propension and Byass, that is implanted and tincted in the very Texture and Fabrick of the Hu­man Soul, whereby it is secretly inclined to an Acknowledgment, and Veneration, and Subjection unto a Supreme Being.

Secondly, The Rational and Intellectual Sight in the Soul, not considered simply and singly in it self alone, but as it stands furnished by the Divine Goodness with Ob­jects attracting and bringing about the Soul unto God, and containing and keeping it in that Position.

[Page 77]Thirdly, A Secret and Sweet and Effica­cious Influx of the Divine Spirit upon the Human Soul, solliciting, moving and in­clining it to the Love and Obedience of Almighty God.

The First Means I call Natural, the Se­cond Rational, and the Third Spiritual and Supernatural.

THERE are implanted and characte­rized in the Human Soul certain common Notions and Inclinations, which seem to be the first Rudiments of Natural Religion and Conversion to God, even an­tecedently to any actual Ratiocination. And as the Glorious God hath planted in the Ani­mal Nature certain Animal Instincts and Inclinations, whereby they are guided and governed to the conserving and perfecting of their Animal Life, so he hath ingraven on the very Fabrick of the Human Soul certain Cha­racters and Inclinations, which may conduct or assist him to the perfection of his Rational [Page 78] and Intellectual Life, which consists in the Conversion and due Position and Respect of the Soul to the Glorious God and his Will. And among many of these common Notions, that might be observed, this is the greatest and the most universal, and of the greatest Importance, namely that there is a most Soveraign Being, the Cause and Governour of all Things, of perfect Pow­er, Wisdom and Goodness, that Loves, and will reward them that fear, honour and obey him; and will punish them that neg­lect or disobey him: And that therefore he is to be Feared, to be Worshiped, to be In­voked, and to be Praised.

And these common imprinted Notions have been a great Means of the establishing a Natural Religion almost in all Nations of the World, though Ignorance and Evil Cu­stom have oftentimes corrupted these No­tions, as to the manner and object of their Worship. And this is that which Tully, Lib. 2. Cap. 24. de Legibus observ'd to my Hand: Nam quod aliquibus cohaerent homi­nes, è mortali genere sumserunt, quae fragi­lia essent, & caduca: Animam esse ingenera­tam à Deo; ex quo verè vel agnatio nobis cum Coelestibus, vel genus, vel stirps appel­lari potest. Itaque extot generibus nullum est animal, praeter hominem, quod habeat noti­tiam [Page 79] aliquam Dei; de ipsisque Hominibus nulla Gens est neque tam immansueta, neque tam fe­ra, quae non, etiam si ignoret qualem habere Deum deceat, tamen habendum sciat.

This secret connatural Byass, as I may call it, of the Human Soul towards God, seems to arise from Two sorts of Principles: The former sort of Principles are such as are in their kind common to all created Beings; the latter more specifically appli­cable to the Make and Frame of the Hu­man Soul.

Touching the former sort, those Incli­nations, Propensions, and Dispositions of all created Beings, are these, whereby, by a kind of connatural Instinct, one thing hath a special Inclination or Propension to another, by the very Institution and Law of their Nature, antecedently to any distinct perception of the Reason of such their Inclination.

And this kind of Natural Propension of one thing to another, is principally obser­vable in these ensuing Instances:

First, Every thing hath a natural Kind­ness, Propension and Conversion to that, from which it immediately receiv'd its Be­ing. This we see daily in Animals, in Ve­gitables, in some inanimate Beings: The [Page 80] stupid Magnet pays a kind of obsequious­ness and sequaciousness to the Earth, from which it receiv'd immediately its magne­tical Nature; and the Needle to that Pole of the Magnet, that touched and anima­ted it.

Now although All created Beings re­ceiv'd their Beings from the Fiat of Al­mighty God, and therefore in their several kinds pay a constant observance of that Law of Nature, which he at first gave them; yet the Human Soul, in its first Producti­on, had a more special, and immediate, and signal Production by Almighty God, than any other created Beings, (at least the Angels excepted;) He breathed into him the Breath of Life, and Man became a living Soul.

And whether the Origination of the Souls of Men, propogated by successive Generation, be the same as was at first of the Soul of the first Man; or, Whether the Souls of Men in succeeding Generations be by a kind of Irradiation or Participation of the first created Human Soul, it alters not the Matter; for both in the one Supposition, and in the other, the Human Soul had a special admirable singular emanation from Almigh­ty God above all other created Beings, the Angels excepted.

[Page 81]And upon this Account, even of that na­tural Respect and Propensity between the Principiatum, and its immediate Principle, there ariseth an in-bred natural Propension and Tendency of the Soul to God, where­in she doth recognize him as the special Author of her Being.

Secondly, Similitude and Likeness is a natural fund of Propension and Inclination of one thing to another, This is one of the most common Grounds of all Sympa­thies in Nature, as might easily be made out by induction of Particulars. Now the Humane Soul bears the greatest Similitude to the Divine Nature of any created Being that we are acquainted with. The Scrip­tures tell, That Man was in a special man­ner created in the Image of God; and Rea­son tells us, That the most lively Impressi­on of that Image was upon the Soul: and although a contracted Corruption hath in many eminent Respects defac'd that Image, as to the Habits of the Soul, yet still it re­tains its Natural, and, as I may call it, its Essential Similitude in the Purity of its Sub­stance, its Indissolubility, and Immortali­ty; in its admirable Faculties of Intellect and Will, and the Liberty thereof. And upon this Account, as it hath a similar Congruity to its Prototype, so it must [Page 82] needs have a natural Love, Propension, and Inclination to it.

Thirdly, We see in all created Beings a natural Propension, Love, and Conversion of every thing to that from which it re­ceives its Protection and Defence, its Con­servation and Perfectibility: and this is a great Reason of most of the Sympathies in Nature, and of those Conversions and Mo­tions of one thing toward another; and this not only in Things endued with a sen­sible Perception, but also in Beings desti­tute of Sense: Thus Vegitables will reach after the Water and moist Particles of the Earth to receive their Nourishment, and towards the Sun and its warm Rays, to re­ceive heat and advance of their vital Prin­ciples; and the poor senseless Magnet will reach after the Earth, and its Magnetick Effluxes, to receive a Preservation, and farther increase of its Magnetick Vigour.

Now the Soul, though it be a noble Be­ing, yet it is a dependant Being; and though it be created Immortal, yet it hath a passive receptive Power, whereby it is perfectable to a higher degree of Excel­lence and Perfection, which no Being in the World, but the Being of Beings, can satisfie and fill; and though it be immor­tal, yet in its state of Union with the Body, [Page 83] it is affected with the Good and Evil that befalls the Body, and stands in need of an uncessant Protection and Supply from the Author of her Being: And therefore by a kind of natural Instinct and Dependance, reacheth after him. And this is that which I call the Natural or Connatural Means of Converting the Soul to God, even by a kind of innate Propension, antecedent to any Acts of Ratiocination, or rational Ar­gumentation, Illation or Conviction.

BEsides that Natural Byass or Tenden­cy of the Soul to God, spoken of in the last Chapter, there is yet another and more vigorous Principle placed in the Hu­man Soul, principally for that purpose, namely, the Intellectual and Rational Na­ture and Faculties planted in the Soul, and the conduct and guidance thereof.

And this certainly is highly necessary for that end; for although the natural Byass and Propension of the Soul be of great Use to [Page 84] convert the Soul to the Original and Fountain of her Being, yet it is but a tender and choice Plant, and stands in need of a continuing cherishing and due Attention to it: and therefore we see by Experience, as the Case now stands with Mankind, it is easily check­ed, discouraged, and impaired by Evil Cu­stoms, and the present Allurements and Importunities of our Lusts: And therefore that Mankind might be furnished with more effectual Means to retain the Soul in its due Position and Habitude to Almighty God, he hath furnished the Soul with cer­tain Faculties and Affections, that might more effectually bring it to its true, natural State, to its due respect and habitude unto God, and thereby to attain its Everlasting Happiness.

There are therefore placed in the Hu­mane Nature these Three great Reasonable Faculties: 1. The Intellective Faculty. 2. The Will. 3. The humane Reasonable Affections.

1. The Intellective Faculty, which hath not only a Perception of things represented through the Senses, but by a Rational Pro­cess to deduce and frame Conclusions from them of a higher and nobler Nature than the bare sensible Objects in themselves a­mount unto; and also to improve those [Page 85] natural Congenite Sentiments, whereof in the former Chapter, to a greater Degree and Perfection than they are in their first Appearance; to find out another kind of Good than what barely appears in the Ob­jects of Sense, namely a Moral and Intelle­ctual Good; to examine, consider, and determine of the disparity of things, that are in themselves Good, and to give a due Prelation and Preference to that Good, which is the chiefest and most valuable.

2. The Will, which is not a bare irrati­onal, peremptory Faculty to will or refuse what it pleaseth, but in its true regular Constitution and manner of acting is a ra­tional Faculty, and acts according to the reasonable Dictate and Conclusion of the Understanding, and when it acts otherwise, it acts inordinately, frowardly, and per­versly; and the natural Object of the Will, unto which it is properly ordinated, is to will that which is Good, and to will that chiefly which is the chiefest Good, and that subordinately, which is a less or sub­ordinate Good.

3. The Affections, which, whether they are distinct from the Will, or but the more intense Motions of it, is not necessary here to dispute; but certainly they have a great [Page 86] share in the bringing of the Soul to its just Position and Respect to Almighty God.

And although the Brute Animals have certain Passions analogal to these Affecti­ons in Man, yet there is a great Disparity between them: 1. Because there are some Affections that seem most peculiar to the Humane Nature. I shall name but those of Hope, Dependance, and Gratitude. And although there are some extraordinary Examples and Instances of such Affections in Animals, yet in truth they are but Sha­dows of these that are in the reasonable Nature, as the Phantasie of Brutes is but a kind of Shadow of the Humane Intellect, and the Appetite but a Shadow of the Will. 2. Because even in all the Affections or Passions, which seem most common to the Humane and Animal Nature, as Love, Joy, Fear, Anger, &c. there is this great diffe­rence, 1. That the Affections of the Hu­mane Nature are naturally under the Regi­ment of Reason and Understanding, and so are, or ought to be, governed by it, and are therefore in Man, Reasonable Faculties; but the Passions of Brutes, as they are ex­cited merely by their Sentient Phantasie, so they are at best but under the Regiment of it: so that the Humane Affections have another kind of formal Nature, or Tin­cture, [Page 87] as I may call it, than the like Affe­ctions in Animals. 2. That the Affections in Animals and Men, that come under the same denomination, yet are distinguished by their Objects: The Affections of a bare sentient Nature, as Love, Hatred, Fear, Joy, &c. are always terminated in a sensi­ble Good to be desired, or Evil to be avoi­ded: but the Affections of the Humane Soul have not only for their Objects sensible Good or Evil, but also Good and Evil of a higher and nobler Size, namely Moral or Intellectual Good to be prosecuted and en­tertained with Love, Joy, Delight, Com­placency, and Desire; and Moral and In­tellectual Evil to be shunned or avoided, or born with Hatred, Detestation, Grief, &c. and these Objects of this latter Na­ture, strike upon the Humane Affections with more vigour and energy, by how much they are greater, and of greater im­portance than sensible Good or Evil.

And as thus the Divine Goodness hath furnished the Humane Soul with these ex­cellent Faculties and Instruments to keep and bring about the Humane Soul to her due Position to her Maker, so he hath fur­nished these Faculties with such Objects as are highly serviceable and conducible to this End.

[Page 88]And these are contained in those two Books or Volumes, [...]. That of the Works and Providence of God. 2. That of Di­vine Revelation; both which do afford to the Humane Reason, Intellect and Nature, admirable Motives to incline the Soul to its true Habitude and Position toward Al­mighty God, but especially the latter of these.

ALthough Almighty God hath so or­dered the Frame of the Humane Soul that it hath many Handles, as it were, whereby it may be kept and turned about to its due Position unto Almighty God, which is its Happiness and Perfection; and he that made us, knows so well our Frame, that he can, and doth, daily apply fit At­tractives to those Ansulae humanae Animae; yet amongst them all, there are three principal [Page 89] Affections of the Soul, that are of great moment and use in this matter: viz. Love, Gratitude, and Dependance.

1. Love is the strongest and most vigo­rous Affection of the humane Soul; it is the great Spring that excites and governs all the Wheels and Motions of the Soul, and is in truth the natural and proper Ver­ticity of the Humane Soul: The Soul moves entirely after that which it entirely loves; and that doth as naturally carry the Motion of the Soul toward it, as the Magnet governs the Motions of the Nee­dle; so that it is somewhat more than mo­rally true, Anima est ubi amat. If a Man entirely loves Wealth, or Pleasures, or Ho­nours, the Soul entirely moves after it, u­seth all means to attain it, is disquieted and vexed if she miss it, and is in effect wholly governed and managed by the strength of his Love to it: It commands all the rest of the Affections and Actions of the Man; his Reverence, his Care, his Vigilance, Attention, Obedience. Love is as strong as Death; and that Object that hath once gotten this Affection, leads the Man as it pleaseth, and therefore, Hos. 11.4. stiled the Cords of a Man, the Bands of Love. And if this Affection be principally set up­on the Glorious God, the Soul is placed [Page 90] and settled in its due Position, and is entire­ly under his Government.

Now there are two great and powerful At­tractives of this Affection, viz. 1st. Excel­lency, Beauty, or Goodness, which are but different Expressions of the same thing: and, 2. Love, and the Effects or Indicati­ons thereof, Bounty and Beneficence.

1. As to Excellence and Beauty, it is in all Instances a Motive and Excitation of Love: Every thing in Nature, so much as it hath of Beauty and Excellence, so much of our Love it doth obtain.

Now the admirable Order and Beauty of the Universe doth not only convince the Understanding that there is a God, the So­veraign Cause of this Order and Beauty of the Universe, and the several Parts thereof, but doth necessarily conclude a Transcen­dent Beauty and Excellence in that Sove­raign Cause; namely, an immense Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and Perfection in him who made, and continually ordereth and disposeth it in that excellent Frame and Order.

2. Beneficence and Bounty unto allthings, especially to that Subject wherein this Af­fection lodgeth.

And although it be true, that the innate, intrinsick, appropriate Goodness and Per­fection [Page 91] of any Being doth, upon a true ra­tional Account, deserve our Love, though it were not at all extrinsecally communi­cative of Goodness to us: yet it is certain that Love and Beneficence in any Object doth more vigorously work upon our Af­fection of Love, than the simple intrinsick Excellence of the Object it self. And the Reason is, because Beneficence, Love, and Communicative Goodness hath not only an intrinsick Beauty and Loveliness, but also gives us an Interest and Benefit in it, and by it: and so upon the Account of Self-Love, of Love to our selves, it increa­seth our Love to that beneficent Object; and Self-love, that hath a great Interest in every Man, renders his Love to a benefi­cent Object more vigorous and active.

Now if any Man considers the incom­parable Bounty and Goodness of God to the Humane Nature, upon the account of the things of this Life, he cannot want a powerfull Incentive to draw out his Love to such a Benefactor.

Let a Man but consider the noble Stru­cture and Frame of the Humane Body, the admirable Faculties of his Soul, the Do­minion that thereby he hath over all things in the inferiour World, the Provision that is made for his Food, Cloathing, Habita­tion, [Page 92] Medicine, Delight, the Accommo­dation of Animals, Vegetables, Minerals, Elements, Meteors, nay of the very Mo­tions and Influences of the Heavenly Bo­dies, to his Use, Contentation, Conveni­ence, Health, Pleasure, Delight, and infi­nite more Topicks of this nature, he hath reason to conclude, even upon the Account of the Works of Nature, and of the com­mon Effects of Divine Providence, that Almighty God is a most Bountiful Benefa­ctor unto him, and therefore deserves his highest and intensest Love. And most cer­tainly, it is the want of due Attention and Consideration that all the Good we have is from his Bounty and Beneficence, if we do not return unto him the greatest Love and Observance imaginable, even upon the bare Account of this liberal Beneficence. And this is that which the Apostles inti­mate, even in relation to the Heathens, Act. 14.17. Nevertheless he left not himself without Witness in that he did good, and gave rain from Heaven, and fruitful Seasons, fil­ling our hearts with food and gladness.

Therefore the Divine Love and Benefi­cence to Mankind is a great Attractive of the Love of the Soul to God. Magnes amo­ris amor. And what is said by the Apostle as to those greater Indications of the Divine [Page 93] Love (whereof hereafter) 1. Joh. 4.10. the antecedent Love of God to Mankind, even in these common Administrations of his Providence, doth not only deserve, but upon a kind of natural Attraction draws out our Love to him.

2. The second Affection that I princi­pally insisted upon, is that of Gratitude, which seems to be an Inclination, or Ra­tional Instinct of the Humane Soul, and so naturally radicated in the Soul, that he that is without a kind of natural Cogency (as I may call it) to it, seems to have put off the very humane Nature, and Apostatized from it. The Obligation to it is so natural, so universal, and so operative, that Ingra­titude is both odious to Mankind, and breeds in the Person himself a secret Shame and Self-Condemnation.

And the Effects of Gratitude are, 1. A secret Connexion and uniting of the Soul to the Benefactor. 2. An Endeavour by all due Means to requite the Benefit with all the Offices of Love and Duty. And, to say the truth, Gratitude is but a kind of Instance and Indication of Love to a Bene­factor, and ariseth upon the same Account, namely, as Benefits received inviteth Love, so it raiseth Gratitude to the Benefactor.

And therefore the very same Communi­cative [Page 94] Goodness of God, that naturally ex­citeth our Love, exciteth our Gratitude, and therefore need not again to be here re­peated. And because the Goodness of God to Mankind, even in his common Provi­dences, doth exceed any commensurate Re­tribution or Recompence to him, we can­not by any Means advantage him that is All-sufficient in himself; therefore the na­tural Effect of Gratitude is to make the best Retribution we can, namely, to Observe, Honour, Glorifie, Praise, and Acknow­ledge his Goodness and Bounty, to Obey his Will with all Chearfulness and Alacri­ty, to convert and turn the Aspect and Tendency of our Souls to him, which is the true state, position, and verticity of the humane Soul.

3. The Third Affection, which I shall instance in, is that of Trust and Depen­dance, which ariseth upon Four Premises: 1. A daily Sense and Experience of our own Wants, Deficiencies, and Dangers, and of our own Insufficiency to overmatch or avoid them. All the Instances of our Lives furnish us with Experiences of this Nature. And, 2. A due Sense of a Suffi­ciency of Power in some other Being to re­lieve or supply us. 2. A due Sense of a­bundant Goodness, Beneficence, and Good [Page 95] Will, in the same Powerfull Being, to be propitious unto us. 4. A Sense that that Powerfull and Beneficent Being is or may be acquainted with our Exigencies and Extremities. And upon this Account it is, that in such Instances, which Men ordi­narily suppose are governable, or to be ma­stered by other Means, Men ordinarily fly unto them, as to their Wits and Contri­vances, to their Riches and Wealth, to their Friends and Relations, to Princes and Magistrates, to Physicians and Surgeons, according to the various Conditions of their Needs or Wants: but when Extremities or Fears rise above the Relief of ordinary Means, there are few People in the World but have recourse to the Sovereign Power of God for their Relief. Jonah 1.5. When the Mariners (the roughest and boldest Generation of Men) were in a Storm that exceeded their Pilot's Skill, then the Ma­riners were afraid, and cryed every one unto his God, and reproved Jonah for not calling upon his God: so that the Affection of Fear also hath its part in the Exercise of this Affection; and though the Saying of the Poet savours too much of Atheism, Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor; yet in this Sense it hath a Truth, that Extremities and invincible Fears and Dangers draw [Page 96] Men to the Recognition and Veneration of God, which possibly could not be so ea­sily drawn thereunto. In their Affliction they will seek me early.

And not only Extremities are the Mo­tives of this Conversion to God in Suppli­cations and Dependance, but also the com­mon Experience of the Deficiency and Dis­appointments, that do so commonly hap­pen in ordinary Means, doth carry the Minds of Men to the Sovereign Power of Almighty God, to bless and prosper the Means, to supply the Defects thereof, to interpose in their Disappointments. And this in all Ages and Nations we may ob­serve to be usual.

And now although the Divine Benefi­cence, even in these external Benefits, is in it self a sufficient Attractive of our Love and Gratitude to God, and our De­pendance upon him, since all these are Acts of his free Bounty and Goodness; and as without him we cannot procure them, so neither can we at all deserve them, or the least of them: yet these Means had not that effect, that might reasonably be expe­cted by such a Benefactor. And the Rea­sons or Occasions thereof were principally these:

First, Because by Evil Education and [Page 97] Customs, and by the subtlety of the Ene­my of God and Man, and his Instruments, the Notion of God was greatly corrupted in the Minds of Men: they fell to Idolatry and Polytheism, making Creatures and Idols their Gods: This is that which the Apostle learnedly and truly describes, Rom. 2.

Secondly, The Commonness and Assi­duity of these Benefits rendered them less observed and valued, and Mankind thereby grew almost as senseless of their value, or of the Author of them, as the Brute Beasts; they were either not taken notice of, or not considered, but enjoyed as things of Course, and a common Natural State of things, and so Men enjoyed them with­out any value or admiration of them, or of the Goodness, Bounty, and Beneficence of God that bestowed them. Certainly the Circular Motion of the Sun or Stars is a greater Miracle of Wisdom, and Pow­er, than either of their Rest can be, and of greater Benefit and Advantage to the Children of Men: And yet because it is common and usual, Men are not affected with the Admiration of it, or Gratitude for it: But if the Sun should stand still but a day, it would presently put the World in­to Admiration. Great Works and Benefits [Page 98] are lightly valued or observed, when com­mon and ordinary.

Thirdly, But although these were but the dull Apprehensions of the common sort of Mankind, yet there were many considerate and observing Men in the World, that had a better Advertence and Valuation of the Divine Beneficence even in these external Dispensations of Provi­dence, and they took notice of Almighty God to be the bountiful Author of all these external Benefits: And yet there were some Considerations that made them set the less value upon them, which in truth were of moment; and they were principally these:

First, They did observe that these Bene­fits were promiscuously distributed to Good and Bad; so that as the Wise Man tells us, Eccles. 9.1. No Man knoweth either Love or Hatred (the Divine Favour or Displeasure) by all that is before them: and Eccles. 8.14. Just Men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the Wicked; and Wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the Righteous.

Secondly, Which is yet more, they ob­served that according to the usual Occur­rences of the Divine Providence, it most ordinarily happened that Bonis Malè, Malis benè which hath stagger'd even Men of [Page 99] great Wisdom and Piety: Job. 21.7. Psal. 73.3. Jerem. 12.1.

Thirdly, But yet farther, upon a strict Observation by inquisitive Men, they found much dissatisfaction in the most plen­tifull Enjoyments of External Benefits; in­somuch that they wrote Vanity and Vexation of Spirit upon all the best Enjoyments of Externals.

Fourthly, But let a Man have the most plentiful Enjoyment of the good things of this Life, and a most high Gust and Relish of them, yet still Men were under the Prae­sensation and Apprehension of Death, which would infallibly put an end to the best of these Enjoyments, and allayed and abated the Contentment of their present Enjoyments; so that according to the signi­cant Expression of the Apostle, Heb. 2.15. through fear of Death, Men were all their Life-time subject to Bondage, even in the midst of their most exquisite Enjoyments.

Fifthly, But this was not all, the more serious sort of Mankind began to consider the Excellence of the humane Soul, and the great disproportion that there is be­tween the best Externals of this Life, and the Capacity, Desires, and Delights of the Humane. Neither did they rest there, but they had not only strong Suspicions, but [Page 100] high Persuasions of the Immortality of the Intellectual Soul; and they very easily found that those things that we ordinari­ly set a great Esteem upon, as Bodily Plea­sures, Wealth, Riches, Fame, Power, Ho­nour, must needs be very insignificant Things to the State and Condition of a se­parate, immortal, intellectual Soul; but somewhat else was to be reached after, more sutable to such a Nature, and such a State; and therefore these remporal Bene­fits, though they were of use for the State of this Life, were not of so true a Value as ordinarily Men thought; and yet for all this, even the Wisest and most perspicaci­ous Men were in the dark, and knew not how with any certainty to frame to them­selves an Idea of the State of a separated Soul, or wherein its Happiness consists, or how it was to be certainly attained. And although the more Mercurial and Po­etical Wits ran out into a Thousand Fan­cies of Elysian Fields, of the Migration of Souls, of the various Periods and Pera­grations of the Soul; yet the more Judici­ous, though satisfied in the Opinion of the Immortality of the Soul, yet were not sa­tisfied with these uncertain and conjectural Suppositions touching the manner of its future State and Condition.

[Page 101]Upon all these Accounts, the Divine Wisdom and Goodness took another and more effectual, and yet a most rational Means, highly sutable to the Nature and Exigence of Mankind, to retain him and reduce him to the true and just Position of his Soul in relation to the Almighty, and consequently to Happiness and Blessedness.

I Come now to that other great Means of the true Conversion of the Soul to God, and placing it in its true and right position, in relation to him; namely Di­vine Revelation.

And although in respect of the manner of the Discovery, this Means is Divine and Supernatural, yet we shall hereafter see that it is not improperly ranked among those Means that I call rational, because when discovered, it bears a high Congrui­ty to true Reason, and the Faculties of the Reasonable Soul of Man: And because the [Page 102] most signal and important Revelation, and that which concerns universally all Man­kind, is that of the Redemption of Man­kind by Christ Jesus the Son of God, the Doctrine of the Gospel revealed and publi­shed in him and by him, and the Christian Religion, I shall principally apply my self thereunto; and upon the due consideration of this admirable Attractive, we shall find that it was not for nothing that our Savi­our said, And if I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me.

And here I must again briefly resume what I said in the former Chapter, viz. That the Three great Hinges of the hu­mane Soul, the ansulae humanae animae, which in a special manner convert and turn about the Soul, are Love, Gratitude, and De­pendance; and those Cords of a Man that lay hold of these Affections first, is Beauty Excellence, Beneficence, and Bounty; that which lays hold of the Second, is also Be­neficence; and that which lays hold of the Third, is Power, Goodness, and a certain Knowledge of our Exigences, Fears, and Wants, which draws out the Soul into Trust, Dependance, and Invocation of that Powerfull Good, and All-knowing Being.

And although these Affections of the humane Soul do principally and more im­mediately [Page 103] move and turn about the Soul to the sutable Objects of those Affections, yet in as much as the humane Soul is an in­tellectual and reasonable Nature, and all its Faculties in their due, orderly, and re­gular Actings and Motions, act upon a presupposed Intellection, and with Reason and Deliberation: We must therefore sup­pose, that antecedent to the Motions of these Affections, there must be a due Dis­covery and Apprehension of that Object to which they are thus directed.

Now upon a just and impartial Conside­ration and Reflexion upon the Christian Doctrine, the Revelation of the Gospel of Christ Jesus, we shall find the most power­full, effectual, and rational Means contai­ned and discovered in it, of converting the humane Soul to God, and placing it in its just and true State and Position, and there­by attaining that Perfection, Happiness, and Everlasting Blessedness, and Rest, that is possible for any reasonable Man to desire or expect.

Only I must add this Caution, that when I speak of the Doctrine of the Gospel and Christian Religion, I do by no means ex­clude the Divine Revelation of the Old Testament; for both Testaments make but one entire System of the True Christian [Page 104] Doctrine: the Old Testament is prepara­tory to the New; and the New Testament Explicative of the Old, and takes in, ei­ther in express Terms, or by necessary ad­mission, all the Truths of God delivered in the Old, and is recommended by Christ himself to his Disciples and Followers, to­gether with those other additional Discove­ries and Precepts that he made and gave.

But yet thus much must needs be added, That the Doctrine of Christianity, as it is singly revealed in the New Testament, gives a much greater Light, makes more full Discoveries, and contains more effe­ctual Instances to bring about the Soul to Almighty God, than that Old Testament alone did or could do: And I shall now proceed to some of those most Eminent Particulars and Instances for this purpose.

1. Whereas the Notion of God was greatly Corrupted in the Minds of Men, as is shewn in the former Chapter; the Chri­stian Doctrine rectified those Notions, and gives us a true Discovery of the Divine Na­ture, so far as our finite Understandings are capable of it, Acts 17.23. Whom ye igno­rantly worship, him declare I unto you: here we have the great Discoveries of the Perfection, Excellency, and Beauty of the Divine Nature, and therefore an Ob­ject [Page 105] infinitely deserving the greatest Ex­cess of our Love, and of our Dependance and Reverence: his Eternity, Unity, Puri­ty, Holiness, Goodness, Wisdom, Power, Justice, Mercy, Placability, Long-suffe­ring, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Truth; in a word, that he is the Perfection of all Excellencies, the Chiefest Good, and the most Sovereign Object of all our Love, e­ven upon the single Account of his own transcendent Perfection and Excellence. But I come to things more specifically appli­cable to the Redemption of Mankind by Christ Jesus: Therefore:

2. I have in the former Chapter menti­oned the Suspicions and Inclinations of Mankind to think the Soul is immortal, and that there is a Future State thereof for Rewards and Punishments; but this Sup­position was much clouded with uncertain Conjectures and Imaginations: But Christ in the Gospel hath given us a full Disco­very and Assurance of the Immortality of the Soul, and a full Prospect of the future State of Rewards and Punishments; and therefore is truly said to have brought Im­mortality and Life to Light by the Gospel.

3. Whereas in the former Chapter I have shewed that although the External Blessings distributed among the Children of [Page 104] [...] [Page 105] [...] [Page 106] Men were greatly Valuable, and more than any Creature could either deserve, or by his own Power procure; and therefore Almighty God in respect of these, highly deserved our Love, as our greatest Benefa­ctor: yet that many wise and considerate Men, considering the promiscuous Dispen­sation of External Blessings, and the great Excellency of the humane Soul, did reach after Blessings of a higher Nature and Use, than such as only served the Meridian of this Life.

Here we have a Discovery of the im­mense Beneficence and Love of the Glori­ous God, unto Mankind, and therefore the highest Attractive of the Soul, namely, Immortal Happiness, Glory, and Blessed­ness, freely and bountifully offered by Al­mighty God, through Jesus Christ, to all that will be but converted, and turn unto him; and this done upon the Account of his own Beneficence and communicative Goodness unto the Children of Men, that were Enemies, and estranged from God, by Evil Works, as well as to the rest of Man­kind. Certainly if Love, undeserved Love, be the greatest Attractive of Love; if the free Collation of the greatest Benefits that the humane Nature is capable of, namely, Immortal Glory, Life, and Blessedness, be [Page 107] the greatest Allective of Love and Gra­titude to our Benefactor, then here is such an Attractive of the Soul to God as its chiefest Benefactor, that cannot be else­where matched or equalled. But this is not all: Therefore,

3. There is yet farther such an Instance of Love, in the manner of procuring this Benefit, that seems to equal the very Bene­fit it self; namely, God Almighty sending his Son, his only Son, into the World, so far to humble himself, as to take our Na­ture upon him with all its Natural Infir­mities, Sin only excepted. 2. In that Nature to live a poor, despised, persecuted Life, reproached with the most odious, though undeserved Calumnies. 3. In that Nature to be betrayed by his own Disciple, condemned by his own Country-men that were of highest Esteem among them, the Priests, Scribes, and Sanhedrim; mocked by the Soldiers, Crowned with Thorns, his Flesh torn with Scourging, delivered over to the Gentiles to be Executed, and then exposed to a most painful, ignomini­ous Death, among Thieves and Malefa­ctors.

And, which yet was more than all this, his very Soul made as it were, an Offering for Sin, heavy unto the Death, astonished, [Page 108] and in an Agony, by the Eclipsing for the time, of the Comfort and Influence of the Divine Presence and Love.

And all this done to expiate the Sins of Men, to become a Sacrifice for the Sins of his very Enemies, and purchase and impe­trate for them, this greatest Benefit of E­verlasting Life and Glory; and all this thus done by the very Design, Counsel, and Contrivance of the Offended God, to satisfie his own Justice, to magnifie his own Mercy, and to save his undeserving Crea­ture: These are Instances of a strange and stupendous Love, and do Aggrandize the very Benefit it self, than which yet there could not be a Greater.

So God loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son into the world, that as many as believed on him, should not perish, 1 John 4.10. Here is Love! not that we loved him, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our Sins.

Herein the Love of God is manifest, that when we were yet Sinners, Christ dyed for us.

And now, if any be so inquisitive as to ask, Why was all this adoe? Could not God have saved Men without such a hard and bloody Scene? or if he would not give Mankind Everlasting Life without Con­version [Page 109] of the Soul to him, could he not by the Empire of his Power, have over-ru­led the Hearts of the Children of Men to such a Temper and Position?

I Answer, It is true, he could and might have done so: but he that made Man an in­tellectual and a free Agent, and placed all those Affections in his Nature, which I have before-mentioned, was not minded to abrogate nor alter the humane Nature; and at once to shew both his Constancy to those Laws, he hath most wisely settled in Na­ture, and yet to bring about this Great Work of Conversion of the Soul to God without offering Violence to the Laws that he had settled in Nature; and therefore in this Great Work of the Conversion of the Soul to God, draws it with the Cords of a Man, with the Bonds of Love, and deals with the humane Soul more humano; and by those admirable and stupendous In­stances of his Beneficence and Love to Man, attracts and draws the humane Soul to love this incomparable Benefactor, and conse­quently to that Duty and Obedience which he owes to God, and to Felicity and Hap­piness, which Almighty God thereupon freely and bountifully will confer upon the humane Soul and Nature, by such Means [Page 110] as were exactly sutable to the Laws of Na­ture settled by him.

4. But yet farther: If this greatest Be­nefit, Everlasting Happiness brought about for Mankind by so Stupendous a Means, should yet not be attainable by the Chil­dren of Men without very difficult Terms and Conditions on their part, the Mercy it self, though Signal and Great, possibly would not be attainable.

But to obviate this Difficulty, the Terms and Conditions on the part of Man are very fair and easie; namely, to believe this Message from Heaven, brought by the Son of God, and to use our sincere and best Endeavour to obey the Precepts of a So­ber, Righteous, and Godly Life, enjoyned by the Son of God, and thereby to perfect and rectifie the Soul to its just State and Habit.

5. And because this Evangelical Message seems to be very strange, that the Son of God should come into the World and take our Nature, and dye for the Sins of Men, and procure for them Everlasting Life and Happiness, the Glorious and Bountiful God hath not spared to obviate this Diffi­culty also, and provided those great Evi­dences of the Truth and Credibility of the Evangelical Doctrine and Message, that [Page 111] are most sutable to work upon the humane Reason and Understanding, and greater than which no Truth in the World ever had, or can have: And though I am not minded in this place to make a Collection of all the Evidences of the Truth of the Christian Religion, which hath been al­ready abundantly done to my hands by o­thers, yet I shall summarily mention some of those Evidences that render the Truth and Divinity of the Evangelical Message highly credible upon the most rational Ac­counts that can be desired by any reasona­ble Man.

First, The Prophecies of former Ages re­corded in the Old Testament of the Mis­sion of the Messias, and the Great Ends and Success thereof fulfilled exactly in Christ Jesus, and the Success of his Doctrine.

Secondly, The Miracles which he per­formed for the Confirmation both of his Mission and Message above the Power of Natural Causes to Effect, are a Seal from Heaven of the Truth thereof; and the greatest and most convincing Testimony that can possibly be expected or given for the confirming of the Truth thereof: There is not any thing that doth more vigorously strike upon the humane Assent, or Affect it, [Page 112] than Miracles exceeding the Course and Power of Nature.

Thirdly, And above all those Miracles, the Miracle of his Resurrection and Ascen­sion into Heaven, which as it is above the Course of mere Natural Agents to effect, so the Truth of the Fact, as to both, is confirmed by abundant Testimony of many Eye-Witnesses of it.

Fourthly, The laying down and pledg­ing of his Life, in Witness and Testimony of the Truth of what he had taught; he could not possibly have any Design to de­ceive Men, that would give such a Testimo­nial of the Truth of what he had delivered.

Fifthly, The admirable Success of this Doctrine, which quickly obtained through the most part of the then Habitable and Learned World, notwithstanding the great Disadvantages that attended the Promul­gation of it: As, 1. The General Opposi­tion of the Jewish Doctors. 2. The great and deep Root that Idolatry had in the rest of the World. 3. And the severe Persecu­tions by both, against it, and the Profes­sors of it. 4. The Meanness and Unlear­nedness of the first Promulgators of it, Fi­shermen and Mechanicks. 5. The Author of it, publickly Crucified and supposed dead by those that oppos'd it.

[Page 113]Sixthly, The Sutableness of the Doctrine delivered to the best Sentiments of the re­ctified humane Nature. But of this here­after.

Seventhly, The Obedience required from those that were to expect the benefit of this great Redemption, had these singular Advantages, viz. The Precepts of Christ and his Gospel were most Excellent and Per­fect Precepts, such, as if deeply and seri­ously considered, were most highly sutable to Reason, and truly rectified humane Nature; such as admirably conduce to the Peace and common Good of Mankind, to the tranquillity of the Mind, and to the perfecting of the humane Nature; there is no one true Moral Precept of Vertue a­mong the most Polite Heathen Moralists, but here it is to be found, and some others far more Noble and Generous than they ever dream'd of: Piety towards God, Sub­mission to his Will, Obedience to his Com­mands, Righteousness, Justice, Fidelity, Innocence towards Men, Sobriety, Humi­lity, Lowliness of Mind, Patience in Tri­bulation, Neglect and Contempt of Wealth and Greatness, Contentation with our Con­dition, Forgiveness of Injuries and many such like.

And really I must say, that if I had nei­ther [Page 114] Miracles nor Tradition to assure my Faith of the Truth of the Gospel of Christ, in all Particulars thereof, yet the admira­ble Purity, Rectitude, and Excellency of the Evangelical Precepts, their high Con­gruity to rectified Reason, the great Perfe­ction that they give to the humane Nature where duly observed and practised, are an Evidence of most high Credibility of the Truth of the whole Evangelical Doctrine: So true is that of our Saviour, If any man will keep my words, he shall know whether the Doctrine be mine, or his that sent me.

Secondly, Not only the Precepts but the Example of Christ Jesus was sutable to a Doctrine of high Perfection: Learn of me, for I am meek; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Thirdly, The Motives and Helps to O­bedience of this most Excellent Doctrine, and the imitation of this unexampled Ex­ample, are high, powerful, and efficacious; namely, an Eternal Recompence of Re­ward.

Fourthly, The Remedies and Allowan­ces for our Deficiencies from the Exactness of an Obedience in all things to all Evan­gelical Precepts, are great and encoura­ging; Almighty God accepting a sincere, diligent Endeavour of an exact Confor­mity [Page 115] thereunto, and pardoning the Defects therein, that happen through humane Frail­ty, and all for the sake of that Great Sacri­fice of his Son.

And therefore to close up all that I have said, I find the Method of the Evangelical Dispensation to reduce and bring the Souls of Men to their just Habitude and Positi­on towards Almighty God, admirably ef­fectual to that End: I find also, that this Reduction of the Soul to its due Habitude to Almighty God, the most natural and sutable way of attaining its True Happi­ness. I find the Precepts of the Gospel full of admirable Congruity to the perfe­cting of the humane Nature, to the good of humane Society, and to the enriching and enabling the humane Soul: So that upon the whole Matter, the whole Design of the Evangelical Dispensation is ordered and contrived with most singular Wisdom and Forecast, with most admirable Congruity to the most refined Reasons, and with sin­gular Advantage to affect the Souls of Men, and to bring them about to the great End designed by it, namely, the stating of the Soul in its due Position and Habitude to Almighty God, the perfecting of its Na­ture and Habits, and the final Fruition of Everlasting Felicity.

[Page 116]And the Truth is, that the Divinity of this Evangelical Dispensation is herein ma­nifested; for if all the wisest Men on Earth, yea, or all the Angels of Heaven, had set themselves to have contrived a Method of the Redemption and Salvation of Man­kind, they could never have found out so exquisite an Oeconomy suited to this End, as is delivered in the Revelation of the E­vangelical Mystery: And therefore it is, those glorious Creatures the Angels look upon it with Admiration. 1 Pet. 1.12. unto whom the manifold Wisdom of God is herein declared and manifested.

But yet besides the admirable Wisdom of this Dispensation in the Matter and Ends thereof, there are two great Circum­stances in this Revelation that signally de­clare it to be no less than a divine Contri­vance and Message from the God of Truth and Wisdom.

1. In that the Ends propounded in it are not of any Secular or Worldly Advan­tage: Had the Gospel promised its Disciples and Followers External Wealth, Honour, Grandeur, Temporal Delights or Pleasures, it might have been suspected to have been a Politick Contrivance of some sagacious Men, to conduct Men, under pretence of a New Religion, to secular Advantages: [Page 117] But the Business of the Gospel is quite of another Nature, directed to the attainment of Ends that are quite of another kind; nay, is so far from it, that it tells its Dis­ciples they must not expect the Splendor of this World, but must neglect, deny, and contemn it; that instead thereof, they must expect persecution, neglect, and con­tempt, from the World: and accordingly it succeeded to them, especially in the first and purest Ages of the Christian Church.

2. In that the Means and Instruments of its Promulgation to the World, were the most disproportion'd to a politick humane Contrivance, and the most unlikely in all humane Appearance to attain its End or Acceptation with the World: Had the E­vangelical Oeconomy been the Product of a Consultation of a Conclave of Learned Rabbi's, or of deep Philosophers, or of Politick or Wise States-men, possibly it might have given an Occasion to the rest of the World to have said or thought, that it is true indeed, it is a well-polished System of a Religion, but yet it carries a Suspicion with it, of a humane Contrivance, consi­dering what Wise Men were emyloyed in the digesting or promulgation of it.

But the glorious God to prevent any pos­sible Surmises in the Minds of Men, of this [Page 118] kind, and to let the World see and know that it was not a Contrivance of Humane Invention, Wisdom, or Policy, but a Me­thod of Religion, and Salvation, instituted and manifested by Almighty God himself, and by his own immediate Ordination and Wisdom; in the whole Method of the E­vangelical Dispensation, doth industriously decline all Instances and Contributions of humane Helps and Advantages, and choo­seth those Circumstances and Instruments therein, that had the least semblance of any Contribution of worldly or humane Wis­dom or Advantage: Christ, the Messen­ger of the Gospel, a poor, obscure Man, hated and persecuted by his Country-men, and at length Crucified: his Apostles poor Fisher-men, unlearned, and ignorant Men, Acts 4.13. the whole World of Learned Philosophers, of Jewish Masters, of Great Princes and States-men, opposing this Do­ctrine, with the greatest Industry, Skill and Power, vilifying it with Reproach, Scorn and Contempt: a Stumbling-Block to the Jews, and to the Greeks Foolishness. And wherefore was all this? Certainly, next to the Excellency of the Evangelical Doctrine it self, there could not have been a greater manifestation of the Divine Wis­dom, and a greater Indication that the Chri­stian [Page 119] Religion was really and truly a more divine Institution than this manner of its Mission into the World; namely, That by this it might appear in the Success it had in the World, that the Power thereof is of God, and not of Men: And there­fore he chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; That no flesh should glory in his presence, 1 Cor. 1.27, 29. That in the admirable Suc­cess of the Christian Religion in the World, all Men might see and acknowledge, that it was neither the Contrivance of Wise Men, nor carried on by the Wisdom or Power of Men, but by the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God.

And thus far touching this great Means of Reduction of the humane Soul to his just Habitude and Respect to Almighty God, viz. The Redemption of Mankind by Christ Jesus.

THere are many Truths both in Nature and Divinity, that have not, neither indeed can have their first Discovery unto Mankind, but by supernatural Revelation, which yet being discovered, have a high Congruity and Consonancy to true Reason: As for Instance, The manner and order of the Creation of the Universe, as it is deli­vered by Moses, if it be duly considered, is greatly consonant to the Nature and Reason of the things in the World, and yet it is impossible that it should at first be discovered, but by supernatural Revelati­on; for no Man was, or could be a Wit­ness to the Creation of things that were pre-existent to his Being, neither is it possi­ble for humane Reason to search out by bare Ratiocination, the distinct order, me­thod, periods, and other Circumstances of that Great Work of Omnipotent Power, and Wisdom: And the same may in a great [Page 121] measure be asserted, touching many of the important Methods and Circumstances of the Redemption of Mankind, and Evange­lical Doctrine: Some things therein deli­vered, I confess, were before believed, either by the Light of Nature, or at least by some antient Tradition; as the Existence and Perfection of Almighty God, the Immor­tality of the Soul, and a Future State of Rewards and Punishments; though the Notions thereof were troubled and con­fus'd: But the Evangelical Revelation hath these great Preferences: 1. That some things are discovered therein which were never before discovered, nor discoverable but by Divine Revelation; as, the Miraculous Conception and Mission of the Messias; the Expiation for the Sins of Men, and the Impetration of Eternal Life for Mankind, by his Death; and divers other great E­vangelical Mysteries. 2. That as to those very Points of Truth that in some measure were before apprehended and believed by Mankind, yet they are more distinctly, plain­ly, and evidently discovered, in and by the Evangelical Revelation; so that as to both these, it is truly said, that life and immor­tality are brought to light by the Gospel. But although this be true, that the Contrivance of Man's Redemption could only be by in­finite [Page 122] Wisdom, and the Discovery it self is supernatural, a divine Message from Hea­ven, and published to us by the Son of God, Heb. 1. yet the Truths thus revealed do bear a great Consonance and Congruity to the True Light of Reason, to the true State of the humane Nature. For to say the Truth, True Reason in the Souls of Men, is but a Ray or Beam of that tran­scendent Wisdom that is in God; and it is no longer true Reason, than as it bears a Congruity and Consonance to that Divine Reason (as I may, with Submission, call it;) namely, the Divine Wisdom: And though in relation thereunto, the humane Reason bears not so great a Proportion as the Light of a Candle doth to the Sun, yet certainly, if it be True Reason, it holds an Analogy and Conformity to its Fountain and Original, and ceaseth to be Reason when it suits not to it. And in this re­spect I have adventured to range this means of Conversion of the Soul to God, among Means that are rational, and to call them reasonable and intellectual Means. And indeed they are so: there is no Religion that is, or ever was professed in any Age, that hath so great a sutableness to True Reason; no Means or Method of bringing the Soul into its true, genuine State and [Page 123] Position, as the Christian Religion and Do­ctrine.

I shall not pursue this Subject at large: but shall give some Instances, making good my Affirmation.

1. The Evangelical Doctrine gives us a clear Account of the Immortality of the Soul, and this is a Doctrine highly sutable to the very Sentiments of our Souls. 1. The Consent of the most Learned and Judici­ous Sects of the Philosophers, the Platonists, and many of the Stoicks. 2. It seems an utter unlikely thing, that the Noble Crea­ture Man, of such admirable Endowments and Faculties of Mind, a Mind of that great Capacity, furnished with Concepti­ons that are of an Extent beyond a Life of Sense; a Mind reaching after Immorta­lity, and Communion with Almighty God, or at least, with those Noble Creatures the Angels: I say, it is highly incredible that such a Nature, such a Mind, should be pla­ced and made, only to take a Turn for a few years upon the Theatre of this World, and then die and perish, and vanish like a blast of flame or smoke, and have a lesser Privilege of Duration, than many Vegeta­bles and Brutes.

2. The Evangelical Doctrine gives us a distinct Account of a Future State of [Page 124] Rewards and Punishments: This is also a Truth highly consonant to natural Senti­ments of Mankind, and to the ordinary Appearances in the State of humane Na­ture. 1. There is scarce any Sect of Lear­ned and Judicious Men, nay, scarce any Nation under Heaven, but is highly per­suaded of the Truth thereof in general, though they labour under differing man­ners of explicating it. 2. The whole Frame of the Universe do proclaim Almighty God to be delighted in the due Order and Dis­posal of all things; every thing is full of Order, Congruity, Beauty, and Comeli­ness: only the Dispensations of External Good and Evil to Mankind, seem very confused and disproportionable to the Con­ditions and Deserts of Men; Good Men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; and wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: there­fore it is not conceptible but that there must be a time to set things at rights; a day of the manifestation of the Righteous Judgments of the God of Order: this was the natural Conclusion of the Wise Man, Eccles. 3.16, 17. when he saw the Disor­der that was in the Dispensations among Men, I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time [Page 125] for every purpose, and for every Work.

3. The Gospel teacheth that the Way and Means to attain a State of Blessed­ness and Glory in that future Life of Im­mortality, is, by converting the Soul to Almighty God, by Faith, Love, and Obe­dience; by Purity and Holiness, by Righ­teousness, and Charity, by Sobriety, and Patience; and all these Christian Vertues recommended to us by the Precept and Ex­ample of Christ Jesus: And certainly if we examine this impartially by Reason, such a State and Position, and Temper of the Soul is most sutable and agreable to a Life of Immortality and Happiness.

And we may take a measure of it by the contrary: Let us but suppose a Soul en­tirely addicted to a Sensual Life, and the love of this World, placing its Felicity in Carnal Pleasures, Eating, Drinking, Wan­tonness, Recreations, Bravery of Apparel, Splendid Houses and Furniture, Great Re­tinue, great Store of Lands, Money, Flocks, Herds; in Delights of the Ear, the Eyes, and other Senses; in Power and Rule over others, and in the Sence and Delight of these Enjoyments, the Soul to be wholly immersed: let any Man but think with himself, how it is possible for such a Soul, thus addicted and habituated, to be in any [Page 126] kind of Congruity, with the State of Hap­piness of a separated immortal Soul; nay, how it is possible for such a Soul to be with­out extream Vexation, Sorrow, and Pertur­bation, when it comes into such a State as is wholly unsutable to, and uncapable of such Enjoyments, which once it made its Felicity; and if it had a Capacity to relish and taste such worldly Contentments, yet they are not in that State to be had, they are quite gone, and out of date, and vani­shed away.

4. The Doctrine of the Gospel com­mands and commends unto Mankind, Pie­ty towards God, Vertue, Charity, Righ­teousness, Justice, Veracity, Fidelity, Sin­cerity, Integrity, Purity, Holiness, Humili­ty, Sobriety, Temperance, Patience, Lon­ganimity, and all other excellent Vertues; and certainly if we take a Measure of these Precepts even by the Light of Nature, and True Reason, we shall find them admira­bly consonant thereunto, though there were no other future Life to come. 1. If once that most radical and natural Notion of the Existence of a Deity, and of his great Per­fection be but deeply digested in the Soul, the greatest and most divine sort of Evan­gelical Precepts are and would be as natu­rally consequential thereupon, as the most [Page 127] necessary Conclusion of a Logical Demon­stration: such as are the Love and Fear of God, Reverence and Veneration of him, entire Obedience to him, Patience and Re­signation of our Wills to his Will, Sinceri­ty and Uprightness of Heart, Thankful­ness to him, Dependance upon him, Trust in him, a vigilant Conversation becoming his Sight and Presence; an imitation of him in all things that we are capable to i­mitate him in. Again, 2. Tranquillity of Mind and Conscience was accounted among the Wisest of the Philosophers, the greatest Pitch of Happiness attainable by Man in this Life; and I dare confidently assert, That no Precepts, no Practice under Hea­ven is more conducible to the Tranquilli­ty of the Mind of Man, than these Evan­gelical Precepts before-mentioned, as might be made easily evident by Induction of Par­ticulars. 3. The Peace and Good of Man­kind, and of humane Societies, is a thing justly valuable by all Wise and Good Men: And what in the world is more conducible thereunto, then Veracity and Truth, Fi­delity, Righteousness, Justice, Tempe­rance, Sobriety, Charity, Beneficence, Longanimity, Goodness, Forgiveness, Meek­ness, Humility, Contentation, and all this bound on to the Soul, by the strictest Bond [Page 128] of the Love, Fear, and Duty we owe to the God of Heaven? The greatest part of the Disorders in humane Society, arise by those Vices that are contrary to those ex­cellent Vertues, as by Pride, Ambition, Covetousness, Falseness, Dissimulation, Churlishness, Injustice, Unrighteousness: These and the like Distempers of Soul, fill the World with Rapine, Violence, Oppres­sion, Contention, and Deceit, which are cured and remedied by an Observance of the Evangelical Doctrine, than which there cannot be any thing more conducible to the perfecting of the humane Nature, and benefit of humane Societies.

5. The Evangelical Doctrine evermore inculcates these two great Qualificati­ons of the humane Soul; namely, the True Knowledge of God, and the true Love of God: the former is that which excites the latter, and the latter is that great commanding Affection of the Soul that fully brings about the Soul to God, and to a chearful and sincere Observance of him and his Will: The Love of God is the First and great Commandment, and draws along with it the Whole Duty of Man to God. And this is most consonant to what Reason it self dictates, and Expe­rience evidenceth; he that hath but the [Page 129] firm hold upon this Affection, governs a Man as he pleaseth.

6. The Evangelical Doctrine, in order to bring about Man to love God, gives us the highest, most transcendent, and obliging Instances of the Love of God, the antece­dent, undeserved Love of God to Man, e­specially in the admirable Oeconomy of our Redemption by Christ, as hath been before-shewed: And certainly this is the most ra­tional way that can be imagined, for the gaining of this great Affection, and the Conversion of the Soul to God. 1. It is in it self a most effectual Means to that end; Love and Beneficence is the great Attra­ctive of Love, as hath been before shewn; and that Great God that formed the hu­mane Soul, and placed it in its several Ha­bitudes and Affections, and therefore best knows what doth most vigorously strike upon those active Strings, the Soul, did therefore choose this effectual Magnetism to bring about the Soul to him, 1 John 4.10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us first. Again, 2. This Method of Attracting the Soul to God by the great and primitive Instances of his Love to Man, is most sutable to the Frame and Mould of the Nature of the humane Soul, and offers no Violence to it. It is true, the Glorious [Page 130] God is not necessarily bound to the Laws that he hath established in Nature, they were Laws given to his Creatures, and not to himself, and he may, and sometimes for great Ends, derogates from those Laws by the Interposition of his own immediate Power, as in Miracles. And upon the same Account may or might if he please, break in upon the Laws that he hath insti­tuted in the humane Soul, and might in­fringe the Liberty of his Will, and turn him about to him, by an irresistible over-powring Necessity: But the Wise God hath settled and established the Rules and Laws of the Natures of things, with so great Wisdom and Foresight, that he rarely vio­lates them, but ordinarily proceeds in the way of his Providential Regiment of all things, according to those Laws and Insti­tutions which he hath fixed in the Natures of things: in things simply Natural, he usually proceeds by Natural Applications; and in Rational Beings, by Means sutable to a Rational Nature, and therefore hath chosen this Means to draw the Soul of Man to him; namely, by the Cords of a Man, and the Bonds of Love, as most sutable to the Complexion, Nature, and Constituti­on, settled by his own Ordination in the humane Soul.

[Page 131]Upon the whole Matter therefore I con­clude, that as the Apostle, Rom. 12. stiles the Consecration of the Body and Soul to God a reasonable Service; so I do with the same Evidence of Reason style the Doctrine of the Gospel the Christian Religion, a rea­sonable Religion, a Religion fitted and or­dered with the most exquisite Reason, and sutableness thereunto, to bring the Soul to its due Position, Respect, and Habi­tude to Almighty God, and thereby to have an Everlasting Happiness.

I Have hitherto considered of those two Means of Reduction of the Soul to its due Position and Respect to Almighty God, which I have stiled Natural and Rational.

It now remains that I should consider the Third Means, which I call Supernatu­ral.

[Page 132]It appears in the consideration of the Natural Causes and Effects in the World that, besides the Intrinsick Powers, and Pro­pensions of things, there are certain Ex­trinsick, common, adjuvant Causes, that have a great Influence in the Effects and Appea­rances in the World.

The Magnet hath not only its intrinsick, active Principle, its Form from which its Motions proceed, but there is also a com­mon Magnetism of the Earth and its Ef­fluxes, that greatly assist, excite, and di­rect its Motions.

Animals and Vegetables have not only their intrinsick, specifical, vital Principles of their specifical Motions and Operations, but the Sun and its heat and influence is an universal, adjuvant, exciting Principle of all vital and sentient Operations.

And not only the ancient Philosophers, as Aristotle and Plato, and their several Commentators, as Simplicius, Themistius, Alexander Aphrodiceus, Avicen, and Aver­roes, but also the Jewish Doctors, and the Christian Philosophers and Divines, for some Ages after Christ, did think that, be­sides the individual intellectual Soul of eve­ry Man, there was also a certain common intelligent Nature, or Being, substituted by Almighty God, whose Office it was to il­luminate [Page 133] the humane Soul, to excite actu­al Intellection in it, and to communicate unto it these common intellectual Princi­ples, which ordinarily and generally ob­tain in all Men, and stood in relation to the humane Intellectual Soul, as the Sun and its Light and Influence stands in relati­on to vital Natures in the Lower World: And this they call Intellectus Agens, which Averroes supposeth to be Ʋltima Intelligen­tiarum separatarum, and deputed to the actuating and exciting of Intellection in Men.

This Opinion hath been (possibly upon Reasons probable enough) laid aside for many Ages in the Christian Church: the Use therefore that I make of it only is this, that though this Opinion seems to be dark and obscure, and not bottom'd upon a clear Evidence, yet it carries with it and under it an Adumbration of a great and real Truth, though they attained not a full clear distinct discovery of it: Therefore as the Apostle elsewhere in another Case told the Athenians, that that God, whom they ignorantly worshipped, him declare I unto you, Acts 17.23. so, with some variation, I may with humility say, that secret, un­seen, and spiritual Power, which these an­cient Philosophers did not distinctly under­stand, [Page 134] but groped after it, and celebrated by the Name of Intellectus Agens, I am now endeavouring to declare.

Almighty God, as he is every where by his Essential Presence, so he is every where by his Powerful Influence; and as he is the Universal Productive and Conserving Cause of all things in the World, so he is more intimate unto, and effective of every thing in the World by his Efficacious Influence, than any second created Cause in the World; for they are all but his Instruments, and therefore their Causality is still but in and from the virtue and influence of the first Cause.

And this Influx of the First Cause, the prime Efficient, Almighty God, is by him ordinarily communicated, effused, and pro­portioned according to the several Natures of Created Beings; though, according to his wise good Pleasure, he sometimes is pleased to doe it in a different manner for excellent Ends, pro imperio voluntatis.

And therefore in Matters that are simply natural, this ordinary Efflux of the Divine Influence is suited to that common Law of Nature, that he hath settled in the World, and governs such things according to those instituted, regular, natural Laws.

But unto an Intellectual Nature, such as is [Page 135] that of Man, endued with Understanding and Will, this Divine Efflux is communi­cated in a kind proportionable to those Fa­culties of the humane Soul; and therefore these Effluxes of the Divine Influence are communicated in two kinds, 1. By way of Illumination, in relation to the Understand­ing Faculty. 2. By way of Persuasion, Inclination, and Incitation, in relation to the Will and Affections, although there are many other kind of Effluxes of the Divine Spirit and Influence: as the Gift of bodily strength, as that of Sampson, Judges 16.20. the Gift of curious Workmanship, as that of Aholiab, and Besaliel, Exod. 36.1. the Spi­rit of Majesty and Government, as that of Saul, 1 Sam. 10.9. the Gifts of Prophesying, Tongues, Miracles, 1 Cor. 12.4.9. for these were extraordinary Effluxes given out up­on special Occasions, and for special Ends, though even in most of them, and other extraordinary Gifts of the like nature, the Understanding and Will were much concer­ned and wrought upon.

1. As to the Illumination of the Ʋnder­standing, certainly what the Sun is to the sentient Eye, that, and much more, is Al­mighty God to the Mind of Man: Psal. 36.9. In thy Light shall we see Light, John 1. [Page 136] 9. This is the true Light that enlightneth e­very man that cometh into the world.

2. As to the Inclination and Bending of the Will, it is true, the Will is naturally free, but yet it is essentially Subject unto the God that made it; and the operation of the Divine Influence upon the Will ordi­narily is but persuasive, and therefore ordi­narily resistable: thus the old World resi­sted the merciful striving of the Divine In­fluence, Gen. 6.3. My spirit shall not always strive with Man. Acts 7.51. Ye always re­sist the holy Ghost: but the Powerful God hath so great an Efficacy, and hath so in­timate an Access into the Minds of Men, that he can when he pleaseth, and doubt­less sometimes doth, irresistibly bend and incline the Will unto himself, according to his good Pleasure, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. It is an excellent Expression, Prov. 21.1. The heart of the King is in the hands of the Lord, as the rivers of water he turneth it whither so­ever he will: A good Artist will guide a stream of water to what place, and in what manner, he pleaseth, in the same Level, and yet without any violence offered to the natural Motion of the Water, which in all those Motions is kept entirely sutable to its Nature: And with the same and much [Page 137] greater facility the God of Heaven can, and often doth, infallibly Guide the Hearts of Men, yea of Kings, and yet without Force or Violation of its natural Liberty.

There was never any Age nor People in the World that was wholly destitute of this Divine Efflux upon their Understandings and Wills: it is as Universal and Com­mon as the Light and Influence of the Heavens; only upon some in all Ages it was more special and effectual than upon others, even in the Gentile World. I have always esteemed those Excellent Men among the Heathen famous for Wisdom, Justice, Piety, and Knowledge, as Men illumina­ted and guided by this Divine Influence, though possibly communicated to them in a more signal manner than to other Men: Such were Socrates, Plato, Zeno Citticus, Solon, Lycurgus, Pythagoras, Tully, Seneca, Aristotle, and divers other excellent Philo­sophers, Moralists, and Law-givers, among the Gentiles; who were by the Influence of the Divine Spirit excited, illuminated, and instructed for the Benefit of themselves and the rest of Mankind, and to prepare the Heathen World for the Reception of greater Light.

When it pleased God to select unto him­self and his special Government, the Fami­ly [Page 138] of Abraham and his Descendants, the Jewish Nation, he sets them in the middle of the Habitable World, like a Beacon upon a Hill, to be a kind of Common Instruction to the rest of Mankind; and for that pur­pose, made them signal to all the World by his special Government over them, by Miracles, Signs and Wonders; by giving them Laws from Heaven in great Majesty and Terrour; by committing to them the Divine Oracles; by raising up Prophets and Men specially inspired by an Extraordina­ry Spirit, and by effusing among them a greater Measure of the Influence of his Sacred Spirit. For (that I may say it once for all) it hath been always the Method of the Divine Wisdom and Goodness, when he sends out the greater Measure of this Influx, whereof I speak, the Divine Pro­vidence accompanies that Efflux with suta­ble external Means to render it the more effectual, and the more agreeable to the manner of the Reception of the humane Understanding: But when the Messias came into the World with the Message of the Glorious Gospel, the Sun was as it were in its Meridian; and as the means of Illumi­nation and Conversion of the World unto God was more effectual and universal, so was also the Efflux and Irradiation of the [Page] Divine Influence upon the Souls of Men more vigorous, diffusive, and universal.

And as the miraculous Gifts of the Spirit of God appeared in the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles, the Gifts of Tongues, of Healing Diseases, of Prophecy, and the like, to confirm and establish Mens Minds in the Faith, Belief, and Obedience of the Gospel; so neither was this all: but the se­cret and effectual Influence of the same Blessed Spirit appeared in Illumination of the Minds of Men, in persuading and mightily subduing their Wills to the Be­lief and Obedience of the Truth, in con­verting Mens Minds unto God, and placing them in their just and due Habitude to Al­mighty God. And this, according to the various Workings thereof, is sometimes called the Spirit of Regeneration, the Spi­rit of Renovation, the Spirit of Sanctifica­tion, the Spirit of Holiness, the Spirit of Adoption, the Spirit of Prayer and Sup­plication, the Spirit of Life, &c. according to the various Energies that this great Effu­sion of the Influences of the Blessed Spirit had upon the Minds of Men.

And this great and more diffusive and ef­fectual Effusion of this Influence under the Gospel was no other than what was pro­phesied of by the ancient Prophets, Isa. [Page 140] 25.7. I will destroy in this Mountain, the covering cast upon the face of all people. Isa. 11.9. The Earth shall be filled with the know­ledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea. Isa. 54.13. All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord, Isa. 59.20. This is my Cove­nant, that I will make with them, my Spirit, that is upon thee, and the words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart from thee, nor from thy seed, nor from thy seeds seed. Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my Statutes, and keep my Judgments and do them. Isa. 44.3. I will pour out my Spirit upon thy Seed. Joel 2.28. I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh. And this Energy of the Divine Influence appears first by a secret Irradiation and Il­lumination of Understanding. 2. By a powerful Persuasion and inclining of the Will; both which, as they were with a more vigorous and effectual Dispensation under the first breaking out of the Light of the Gospel, so they do accompany the Publication of it unto this day, and shall unto the end of the World; though by reason of the Corruption of the Lives and Manners of Mankind, not with equal Suc­cess in all Ages.

And thus far concerning the Supernatu­ral Means of converting the Soul to God, [Page 141] and consequently restoring it to its true Felicity and Blessedness.

AND thus I have taken Occasion upon this small Particle of Nature, which hath been under my Consideration, to make this not unprofitable Digression touching the true, genuine, and natural Position and Conversion of the Soul towards Almighty God.

I have shewn what it is, namely, The humble and sincere Love of him, Trust in him, Obedience to him, and Delight in him.

I have shewn that this is the most natu­ral and reasonable Habitude of the Soul, that wherein consists her Duty, Happiness, and Rest.

I have shewn the great Reasonableness and Obligation of the Soul unto it, the Means instituted by the God of Heaven for our Attainment of it; And that every thing in the World attains and enjoys its sutable Perfection and Felicity, when it attains and keeps that Position, State, Station and [Page 142] Place, which the great and wise Creator and Disposer of all things hath appointed for it: and consequently there is no way for the humane Soul to attain its sutable Perfection, and Tranquillity, here in this Life, and everlasting Happiness and Glory hereafter, but in its holding that due Ha­bitude and Respect to Almighty God before described.

And that this (next to the Glory of his Great Name) is the principal Reason and End of all these admirable and special Me­thods of his Providence towards the Chil­dren of Men, both in their Creation, Pre­servation, and that stupendous Work of their Redemption by Christ.

If we shall now look into the several Parts of the Ʋniverse, we shall find that e­very thing in nature intensely affects that Station, Position, and Order, that the God of Nature hath instituted for them; and in the holding thereof, they attain and en­joy all that Felicity (if I may so call it) that their Nature is capable of, and when by any Accident they are out of that Stati­on, they are in discomposure, and therefore by a strange, regular, connatural Appetite, they endeavour to recover it again.

If we look up to the Heavenly Bodies, they constantly and regularly observe and [Page 143] keep those Stations and Motions that the God of Nature by the Law of their Crea­tion hath instituted for them.

If we look unto the Planetary and Ele­mentary Bodies, we shall observe no less.

If we look upon the Animals we shall ob­serve them regularly to comport themselves according to the several instituted Laws of their Species, and those admirable fixed Instincts that are rivetted into their Con­stitutions.

If we look upon Vegetables, they all re­gularly in all their vital Appearances do follow strictly and regularly the Laws and Methods of their several Kinds.

Nay, this pitiful, inconsiderable Mine­ral, the Magnet, in all his Motions and Af­fections, regularly and exactly follows those Laws and Directions that are implan­ted in his Nature.

But if we cast our Eyes or Thoughts up­on the Children of Men, and their Ways and Walks, whose immortal Souls are di­rected to a nobler End than most of other visible Creatures, and have Capacities fit­ted to have a Reception of the noblest Ob­ject in the World, the Glorious and Eter­nal God, and to have an humble Commu­nion with him, which is his True Position, Habitude and Happiness. I say, if we [Page 144] look on Mankind, we shall for the most part find it quite otherwise; like Babies, Ideots, and Fools, they fix their Souls and the whole Verticity of them, (pardon my borrowed Expression) upon Rattles, Bau­bles and Toys, and imbase their Souls and Faculties with poor sordid Vanities, and Trifles, and neglect that Magnum oportet, wherein their Perfection and Happiness consists, so that we may justly take up the Prophet's Complaint both against our selves and others, Jer. 8.7. The Stork in the Hea­ven knoweth her appointed times, and the Tur­tle and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the time of their coming: But my People know not the Judgment of the Lord.

And were this in the time of Paganism, those times of Ignorance, which the Apostle says, Acts 17.30. God winked at, the Won­der were not great: But this happens in the Christian World, where the Gospel and Holy Religion instituted by the Son of God, is published and professed to be believed: as we shall easily find, if we take but an Estimate of the Ways, Designs, and De­lights of Men, even in the Christian World.

1. How many there be that bid open Defiance to Heaven; Atheists that account it the Glory of their Wit and Courage, to make a Scorn of Religion, and of the [Page 145] Life to come; and this not only by their Actions but even by open Professions and Words as far as they durst do, for fear of Humane Laws.

2. How many there be that wholly give themselves up to sensual Pleasures, Debau­chery, Incontinence, Gluttony, Drunken­ness, that make little or no Improvement of their Reason, but in making Provision for their sensual Lusts, and fulfilling of them with more advantage than Brutes; the whole Bent and Current and Tendency of their Souls is after Sensuality, and whol­ly averted from that God that gave them their Souls for better Purposes.

3. How many there be that set the whole stress and tendency of their Souls to the getting of VVealth, sometimes indeed by Lawful Means; but at other times by all kind of Oppression, Cousenage, Deceit, Rapine and Violence, and make their Wealth, their only Delight, Hope, and Confidence.

4. How many there are that make it the whole Business of their Souls to gain Honour and Preferments, great Offices, Titles, Power, Pre-eminence, and Authority over others; wherein if they are disappointed, their Souls as it were dye within them, and if they obtain, they wholly bless them­selves [Page 146] therein, till another Opportunity of farther Acquists be found, and then their restless, ambitious Souls press on farther for higher and greater Acquists of the same nature.

5. How many there be that pretend to the Profession of Christianity falsly and hy­pocritically, for base and secular Ends; that make a Gain of Godliness, when they have not one Spark of True Religion in their Hearts.

6. Nay, yet farther, among those that are the greatest Pretenders to Christian Re­ligion, I mean the Romish Clergy, how uni­versally they imbase the very Nature of God and Christ, in their Image-Worship? How do they even under a Disguise of Re­ligion, turn away the Souls of Men from the Worship, Honour, Fear, and Love of God, by substituting the Adoration and Veneration of Angels and Saints, Shrines, Reliques and Toys, and carrying over that Love, Honour, Service, Dependence and Confidence, which the Soul should repose in the Glorious God, and his Son Christ Jesus, unto Creatures contrary to the Ex­press Will of God revealed in his Word, and contrary to the whole Design of the Chri­stian Religion, and the whole Oeconomy of the Wise and Glorious God to unite the Soul [Page 147] unto him, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve: so that although there be many great Errours in the Profession of that Church, yet this doth in a most special and direct manner steal a­way the Soul from its due Habitude unto the God of Heaven.

7. Nay, yet farther, even in those that have a true Sense of Religion, and their Duty to Almighty God, yet the Pleasures, Profits, Preferments, and Gaities of this present VVorld, starve that Fervor of the Love, and Conversion of the Soul to God, and leave but a small Portion of the Heart, for the Ever Glorious God: Nay the Great Searcher of all Hearts knows, that if our Love to the Glorious God were strictly weighed with that First and Great Com­mandment repeated by our Saviour, Mat. 22.37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy mind; which is most certainly our Duty; our Love to God would be general­ly found to stand in need of many Grains of allowance from his Mercy and Goodness to make it accepted.

All therefore that I shall say, is, To re­mind my self and others of the Saying of the Prophet in another Case, Isa. 46.8. Re­member this, and shew your selves Men: ‘Men [Page 148] that have or should have Reason and Judg­ment to steer their Actions and Affecti­ons: Remember that we have in our Bo­soms Immortal Souls, Souls that will sur­vive all our sensual Pleasures, all the Wealth, Riches, and Honours of this World, which when this Bodily Life cea­seth, will have no Gust or Relish to an Immortal Soul, or if any, but to trou­ble and vex it: Remember that this Im­mortal Soul is capable of an Immortal Fruition of the greatest Good, the Vision and Love of the Glorious God: Remem­ber that the Means to attain this blessed and beatifical Vision of God hereafter, is the Conversion of the Soul to God by true Love of him, Obedience to him, and Trust in him, while we enjoy a Life here on Earth: Remember, that this is the true, genuine, natural Habitude and Po­sition of the Soul, and its Perfection and Happiness. Remember that it is not ne­cessary for us to be rich, to be great, to enjoy an Affluence of all Worldly Con­tentments, nay possibly, yea probably this may be our greatest detriment and estrange our Souls from God: But it is of absolute Necessity to us to have our Ever­lasting Souls everlastingly happy: And now Remember this, and shew your [Page 149] selves Men, Men and not Children, to lavish away our Time, our Lives, and Souls in Trifles, in things that will not be of any use or convenience to our E­verlasting State, but if they last so long, will last no longer than our Lives in this World, which may be but a Year, but a Day, but an Hour. Shew your selves therefore Men, Men that understand the Worth and Value of your Souls, your Everlasting Souls, and do not imbase them into an Employment and State be­low their worth and value: Shew your selves Men, Men that have or should have discretion to consider, that your E­verlasting State of Happiness or Misery depends upon the well or ill Manage­ment of your Lives and Thoughts in this Life, which is but a State of Probation in order to Eternity: Remember, and shew your selves Men; Men that understand your Interest and your greatest Concern­ment; and while you live here in this World, set your Hearts upon that, which is the Chief End of your coming into the World, and as in reason you would wish to have done when you come to dye; namely, the entire Conversion of your Souls to the Ever-Glorious God, the Be­ginning and End of your Being, in all [Page 150] Humble Love, Obedience, Faith, De­pendance, Honour, and Service, in the frequent Thoughts of him, and Applica­tions to him, in Veneration, Worship, Service, and Devotion to him, in all hum­ble Imitation of him, in what he is imi­table by you, viz. in Holiness and Puri­ty, in Righteousness and Justice, in Mer­cy and Beneficence, in Truth and Vera­city; and this will be the Perfection, the Happiness and Everlasting Blessedness of your Souls to all Eternity.’