A miscellaneous metaphysical essay; or, An hypothesis concerning the formation and generation of spiritual and material beings .... To which is added, some thoughts upon creation in general, upon pre-existence, the cabalistic account of the Mosaic creation, the formation of Adam, and fall of mankind; and upon the nature of Noah's deluge. As also upon the dormant state of the soul, from the creation to our birth, and from our death to the resurrection ...

iKi

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^" A Miscellaneous

METAPHYSICAL

ESSAY:

O R, A N

HYPOTHESIS

Concerning the

Formation and Generation

O F

Spiritual and Material Beings,

WITH

Their feveral Characteristics and Properties^
and how far the feveral furrounding Beings par-
take of either Property.

To which is added.

Some Thoughts upon Creation in General, upon
Pre-exifience^ the Cabaliftic Account of the Mofaic
Creation, the Formation o^Adam^ and Fall of Man-
kind J and upon the Nature of Noah'^ Deluge.

As alfo upon the D o R m a n t State of the Soul,
from the Creation to our Birth, and from our Death to
the Refurre6tion.

The Whole confidered upon the Principles of Reafon, and from
the Tenor of the Revelations in the Holy Scriptures.

By an iMPAitTi,^ Inquip^er after Truth.

-**•

LONDON:

Printed for A. Millar, over againft Catharine -Jlreet^ in
the Strand. M DCC XLVIII.

THE

PREFACE.

HE following Sheets being wrote
with a View of exalting our Idem
of the Almighty Beings Creator of
the Univerfey almoji infinite as
Space, and in Duration, fo as no Time can he
imagined wherein the Supreme Being did not
exert his Power, Wifdom, Jujlice, aiid Good-
nefs, in for77iing and governi?2g his Creatures ;
// is impojjible that a finite Being can reafon
properly, or an[wer all the ObjeBions that may
he made againfl fuch a Plan of Providence, as,
hy what follows, is imperfeSlly chalk d out, as
the Out-lines of the Difpenfations of Provi-
dence to the Human Species, and all other crc"
ated Beings,

As

IV PREFACE.^

jfis therefore fiich a Plan mufl be infinitely
floorf of the true Scheme of Providence^ which
ive Jloall know in the next Life\ it is here fub-
mitted to the candid and inquiring Reader^ to
be objedled to^ altered^ and amended^ by the Jii-
dicious and Learned^ who have time to confider
and improve it^ as may mofi conduce to the In-
largement of our Faith^ Dependence, and Love
to the Supreme Bei?2g^ God the Father ; and of
the Son, the Divine MeJJiah, our Redeemer and
only Lord ; and of the Holy Spirit, the Com*
forter, ConduUor, and SanBifier of all, who by
Faith depend upon the MeJJiah, our Mediator^ to
make up all our Deficiencies in our lapfed State
and Pilgrimage here.

The Author therefore conceals himfelffofar^
as he may not be obliged to enter into a Contra^
*verfy to fiipport what he here advances, it be-
ing intirely hypothetical, and capable of vafi
Alterations and Improvements -, it being calcu-
lated to inlarge our Ideas of the Extenfivenefs,
and almofl infinite Variety, of the Creation -,
and tofijew how fmall and infignificant a Part
we make, in our State of Imprifojiment a?2d
Probatidn here, in the immenfe Creation -, and
yet, how capable our Souh are of being exalted
and improved in a future State ^ if we improve

our

PREFACE. V

our moral Habits^ by increafing our hove to
God and our Neighbour^ and all the focial
Virtues^ by living a pure and holy Life^ as
far as our felfi/lo animal Natures will allow ;
depending upon our Saviour to make up all our
Deficiencies^ and to refiore us to Life and Im-
mortality, at the RefurreBion of the fujl^
which we had forfeited by our former Lapje,
and daily T^ranfgrejjions,

As the following Hypothefs is therefore calcu-
lated to fhew^ that a confifloit Scheme of Pro-
vidence may be chaWd out^ confijlent with Rea-
fon and Revelation^ agreeable to the Phaeno-
mena we obferve around us^ carried on by
Providence ; which mujl be infinitely beyond
the Sketch here offered to the i?npartial Searcher
after 'Truth 5 / hope the Author will be par-
do7ied for any Mifiakes^ or unwilling Errors^
he may have fallen into upon fuch an un-
bounded SubjeB ', and that the more learned and
inquifitive Examiners of the following Hypo-
thefs may correB^ alter^ and improve^ what-
ever may be found deficient or inconfiftent with
the End he propofes^ of promoting the Good of
Mankind^ by improving moral Goodnefs^ and
fearchifig after Divijie Truth, to intitle them
to Immortality and eternal Happinefs^ thro"

Faith

vi PREFACE.

Faifb in our Bleffed Redeem^f^-, to "whom, with
the Father^ the Origin and Fountain of all
Power and Goodnejs, and the Holy Spirit, the
Triune God, all Praife is to be afcribed for
ever, for his wonderful Works, and the wife
and beneficent Difpenfation of his Providence-
to all his Creatures thro infinite Space,

THE

THE

INTRODUCTION,

INGE the Knowlege of OiiN
felves, and of all Beings around
us, is of the greateft Benefit, as
well as the moft pleafing and entertain-
ing Subjeft of the Inquiry of Mankind;
and {ince the Knowlege of the Creation
and Continuance of dependent Beings,
governed by the eftablifhed Laws of the
Almighty Being, although in Specula-
tion it be high and unbounded ; yet {o
far as it inlarges oiir Underftanding,
and gives us a greater Idea of the Im-
menfity of the Power and Goodnefs of
the Great Creator and Supporter of all
Things ; by To much it will conduce to
our forming ourfelves^ and conforming

B our

2 INTRODUCTION.

our Adions to his Will, in hopes of at-
taining to that everlafting Happinefs we
exped in a future State : 1 therefore
hope it will be pardonable in me to at-
tempt to inlarge our Notions, and to
endeavour to foar above our common
Conception of Things, in hopes that
by feveral Attempts to inquire into the
hidden Ways of Providence, fome Hints
may be given to others to inlarge upon,
and to induce others to think upon
thefe Farts of Metaphyfical Knowlege,
which may probably employ great Part
of our Time in a future State, in con-
templating the Works of Creation and
Providence. With this View 1 imbark
in fo difficult an Inquiry, and jfhall pro-
pofe what Thoughts occur to me to be
canvafs'd, objeded to, or alter'd, ac-
cording as they may appear either rea-
fonable or probable ; for, as our Ideas
of Things may be very different, what
may have the Appearance of Truth to
one, may appear abfurd to another, or
at leaft be Hable to many Objedions.

A Mifcellaneous

METAPHYSICAL

E S S A Y, @^.

C H A p. I.

Of Being in general,

H E firft thing we can be certain
of, is, that we Are, that we have
an Exiftence, that we Perceive,
AcSj and have a Continuance in
the World ; and that we are
bounded and hmiled by other Beings, or fepa-
rate Exiftencies, that adl without us, and in-
dependent of us. As we find this Knowlege
of our Being or Exiftence has grown gradually
upon us, and we are liable to have our Con-
fcioufnels and Perception taken av/ay, all
things appearing tranfient, both in ourfelves,

B 2 and

4 A Mifcellaneous

and in our Obfervations of Beings without us,
we can thus be certain, that we have not made
or formed ourfelves, iDut are under the Dire-
d:ion of a greater Power.

Since we have not for ever been confcious or
percipient Beings, it is plain we have not been
from Eternity in the State we are in at pre-
fent, and confequently don't neceffarily exift:
For whatever Being hath been abfolutely and
permanently from Eternity, muft neceffarily
have exifted -, for were it poffible it could not
have exifled in any Point of Time, it were
impoffible any Being could ever be ; for no Be-
ing can be the Caufe of itfelf. It is alfo de-
monftrable, that there can be but one Being
neceffarily exiftent : For (hould we fuppofe
that there were more than one, there would
be no Inconfiftence in fuppofing fome of thefe
might not have been in fome particular Point
of Time ; becaufe, until we come to a Unity,
or one individual Being, there might ftill be
a Being from whence all others might proceed,
as from the firft original Source and Caufe,
without any Abfurdity. Befides, were there
diftind: Beings -co-ordinate, and of equal or in-
dependent Power, there would be a conftant
Struggle and Oppofition in Nature, from their
different Volitions and Inclinations, unlefs they
were bounded by one fuperior Power. -j:

Since then the Firft Caufe muft neceflarily^
exift in all Points of Time, from the fame way^
of Reafoning it muft alfo neceffarily exift in'^

all

MetaphyfKal Effay. 5

all Points of Space : For, fince Space is infinite,
were it poffible not to exift in one Point of
vSpace, it might poflibly not exift in any Point
of Space ; and confequently, in our Concep-
tion of neceffary Exiftence, the Firll: Caufe
muft be infinite as Space, as well as abfolutely
eternal ; and niuft be confequently immoveable,
tho' the Caufe of all Motion 5 for Motion fup-
pofes a Being fucceffively in different Points of
Space ; which is impoflible to conceive of a
Being which is immenfe, and fills all Space, or
rather, by being infinite, conftitutes Space. For
from the very Idea of abfolute Space, which
it is impoflible for us to banifh from our
Thoughts, or avoid to conceive an Idea of,
there muft be fome Being adequate to it ; for
this abfolute immoveable Space is only a Pro-
perty to fome Being, and confequently can
only be commenfurate to fome adual Being ;
and therefore an infinite and eternal Being muft
be neceffarily a Concomitant with our Idea of
infinite Space ; for Space is not a mere Non-
Entity, which has no Properties, but Space is
not only real, but even divine, fince many of
the Divine Attributes agree with it : For in-
finite Space is one, fimple, immoveable, com-
plete, independent, exifting of itfelf and by it-
felf, incorruptible, neceflary, uncreated, in-
comprehenfible, omniprefent, incorporeal, per-
vading and embracing all things. So m.any
Epithets and Attributes of the Divinity agree-
ing with it, muft perfuade us it is not a mere

B 3 Nothing.^

6 A Mifcellaneous

Nothing, but rather the internal and intimate
Place of all dependent Beings,

In the fame Manner all poffible moral Per-
fedions are included in the Idea of the Firft
Caufe or Deity 5 for no Being can be theCaufe
of any Perfeclion in another, which it has not
itfelf. Thus it is demonftrable, that all pof-
fible Perfections are in the Infinite and Eternal
Caufe of all Things, and confequently that he
is Almighty, and endowed with all poffible
moral Virtues, being fupremely good, as well
as fuprem.ely great : For, were not his Good-
nefs and Wifdom as extenfive as his Power, or
could he be fuppofed cruel, or capable of any
other moral Imperfedion, he would not be a
God, and ador'd thro' Love, but would be ac-
counted a Devil, and dreaded thro' Fear.

Sines then it is demonftrable, that we are
adive percipient Beings, and that we are liable
to undergo Changes, and that there are many
Beings without us alfo adive and percipient ;
and alfo other Beings that bound and confine
us to particular Parts of Space, which at pre-
fent are not confcious, nor endow'd with Senfa-
tions, Memoi-y, or Refiedion, or other Fa-
culties of percipient Beings ; and that there is
One Supreme, Eternal, and infinitely good and
wife Caufe of all feparate Beings v/e perceive
and conceive to be ading, or aded upon, thro'
the different Parts of infinite Space 3 it is wor-
thy of our ftrid Inquiry and Search, what the
Natures of thefe Beings are, what Powers they

may

IMetaphyJical Eflay. ^

may be conceived to have, or be capable of,
with their feveral Properties ; how they ad
upon each other, and how far fome are adive,
and others paffive j what Changes they may
undergo, or have undergone, looking back-
wards to Eternity, or in Futurity towards it ;
by this means to contemplate upon all the
Works of Creation and Providence, that we ,
may the more admire the Greatnefs, Goodnefs,
and Wifdom of our God.

CHAP. II.

Of the Divijion of Beings into ABive and Paf-
five^ with their Chara^erijiics and Pro-
ferties^

TH E general Diftribution or Divifion of
Beings by the Schoolmen, has been into
Ifico7'poreal and Corporeal^ or into Spirit and
Matter, This, according to the general De-
finitions given by them to each, is, I think,
no ways agreeable to the feveral furrounding
Beings, which they divide into incorporeal and
corporeal ; nor are the diftinguilliing Proper-
ties of Spirit and Matter fuch as they have
afcribed to each 5 which hath occafioned many
Difputes and Objections to arife, by their not
agreeing upon proper Terms to diltinguifli theni;,
fuch as they really are, and appear without us.

B 4 Spirit

i9 A Mifcellaneous

Spirit they define, an intelligent adive Being,
indiicerpible and indivifible, without Extenfion
or component Parts, penetrable, and capable
of beginning, increafing, altering, or flopping
Motion either in itfelf or others, — Matter they
define to be a Being abfolutely paflive, infinite-
ly divifible, or compofed of infinite Parts, im-
penetrable, extended, and incapable of begin-
ning, increafing, abating, or flopping Motion :
So that if it is at Reft, or in Motion, it muft
always continue fo, without the Intervention
of fome other Being. Thefe are the moft di-
flingailhable Properties, by which they feem
to determine their Ideas about Spirit and Matter,
and diftingnifli between them. But as I have
Reafon to believe, that fome of thefe Proper-
ties belong to both, and confequently are not
the diftinguifhing Characfleriftics of either ;
I fhall endeavour to diftinguifh them, as they
appear to me; and afterwards confider how
Tar the Beings around us partake of thefe Qua-
lities, and in what Clafs to -place them; and
ihall endeavour to give Reafons to fupport fuch
Obfervaticns as I make from the Nature of
Beings v/hich fur round us.

The Divine Being, who is a Spirit, eternal,
infinite in Eflence and Goodnefs, omnifcient
om^nipotent, and of himfelf necefiarily exift-
cnt, is not at prefent the Spirit I would define;
but only a finite Spirit, which I apprehend may
be defined thus : A Being or Subftance, aftive,
indivifible, and indifcerpible ; capable of Self-

motion3

Metaphyfical Effay. 9

motion, Self-penetration, and, confequently, of
Contradion and Dilatation 3 having a Power of
moving and altering Matter, or other furround-
ing Beings, feemingly palfive; by its Unity
and Indifcerpibility, capable of being confcious
or intelligent, tho' not alvi^ays adlually fo.

Matter, or Body, in Oppofition to this, I
muil apprehend to be, a Being or Subftance ab-
folutely paffive, compofed of Parts difcerpible
and divifible ; and, by its Inad:ivity, equally
capable of Reil and Motion 3 oppcfing, by its
Pallivity, or "ois inerttce^ equally, any Altera-
tion from Reft to Motion, or from Motion to
Reft.

Thefe I take to be the dlftinguiftiing Pro-
perties of each ; for it is probable both are im-
penetrable to each other, and that both are ex-
tended, and take up Place in Space ; Spirit
taking up, by its Activity, Self-motion, and
Self-penetration, at different times, a greater or
lefler Proportion of Space. The only Reafon,
why Spirit was fuppofed to be incapable of
Extenfion, was from the Cartefia?i Notion, that
Matter and Extenfion were convertible Terms ^
and that whatever was extended, had Parts that
were actually divifible and difcerpible ; not con-
fidering that the Infinite Spirit is neither divi-
fible nor difcerpible, tho' filling infinite Space,
and confequently infinitely extended : Nor is
Space actually divifible, tho' it may be intelle-
<5lually divided : For which Reafon the Niilii^
bijis wo^d rather allow Spirits to be no-where .

in

lo A MtfceUamous

in Space, than to allow them Extendon. But
iince the Infinite Spirit is every- where, finite
Spirits are fomewhere in Space ; for no Being
can acfl where it is not • and if a finite Spirit
did not occupy or fill fome Part of Space, it
could not ad: at all. But fince we find by our-
felves, and Beings around us, that we act in a
limited Part of Space, and move from one
Point to another in Space ; and that fome adl
in a larger, and others in a fmaller Sphere, ac-
cording to their different Powers j we may
hence rationally conclude, that all Spirits are
more or lefs extended in Space, and occupy
Place, as well as material Beings.

That a Spirit, or a6live Being, may pene-
trate, or be penetrated by, another Being, muft
be granted ; fince all created limited Beings oc-
cupying Space live, move, and have their Being
within the Almighty Being or Deity, who fills
infinite Space : But whether created active Be-
ings penetrate each other, or penetrate what
we call Body or Matter, altho' they have Self-
penetration, and are capable of Compreflion
and Dilatation, is a Point worthy of our Con-
lideration. Created Spirits differ infinitely from
the Infinite Being ; and tho' the Divine Being
is omniprefent, and pervades all things, yet
finite Spirits may not pervade each other, or
Vv^hat we call Body. The Almighty Being,
tho' the Firft Mover of all things, yet is inca-
pable of Motion, becaufe Motion fuppofes
Change of Place ^ but he filling infinite Space

wdthout

Metaphyseal Effay. n

without Parts is incapable of any Change of
Place, and is confequently without any Form
or Figure, which implies a Limitation. AU
created dependent Beings are limited, and con-
fequently mull have a Form or Figure, which
poffibly in fome may be invariable, but in moft
changeable, according to the Place in Space
they occupy, and according as they are at dif-
ferent times more or lefs extended in Space.
It is this indiviiible, tho' variable. Form (which
I fuppofe impenetrable to other finite Beings),
that continues the Identity or Samenefs which
conftitutes every individual Being, by which
they may be faid to ad: in that Place • for were
this limited Form penetrable throughout, fo
that two or more Beings could occupy the fame
individual Space, then a vaft Number of Spi-
rits might adequately fill the fame Space, and
a6t in the fame Place ; and in cafe of moving
of Matter from that Place, it could not be known
whether one or all were the Caufe of that Mo-
tion or Ad ; fo that the individual Being could
not be known, and the Perfonahty would be
loft, not knowing which was the ading Power.
1 muft therefore doubt whether Spirit is pene-
trable to Spirit, or can penetrate Matter : For
were all equally penetrable by Spirit, I can't
anfwer the Difficulty how Spirit can move or
ad upon Spirit, or upon Matter; for if it pe-
netrate Body, from whence proceeds Morion ?
for I apprehend Motion is caufed by one Being
refifting and not pervading the other 3 by which

means

1 2 A mifcella/ie'ous

means the more powerful impels and moves the
other : But, as I apprehend, a Spirit is capable of
a fourth Dimenfion, Spiffitude, whereas Body
has but three, Length, Breadth, and Depth, by
which it can enter itfelf, and what it lofes in the
three other Dimenfions, is made up by its ef-
fential Spiffitude; fo as it may, by increafmg
its .Spiffitude, reduce the three other Dimen-
fions almoft to a phyfical Point, and at other
times inlarge itfelf fo much, as to fill a pretty
large Sphere : Then Spirits, by increafing their
Spiffitude, may feem to penetrate and pervade
each other, and Matter, when they penetrate
thro' the Pores or Vacuities in Matter, or pafs
thro' the Sphere of Adion of the Spirit dilated,
the Centres of efiential Spiffitude being fl:ill im-
penetrable to each other.

That an adive fpiritual Subftance is not di-
vifible, or difcerpible, feems not to require
much Proof ; for could it be divided, or cut
afunder, the Samenefs and Identity of Spirit
would be loll ; by which means Perfonality
would be lofi:, and two or more Perfons, with
the fame identical Perceptions and Confciouf- e«^
nefs, might be made out of one. But the*

Conception of the Divifibility of Spirit arifes "^.
from the Conception of its having Extenfion, ^.
Defcartes having laid it down as a Principle, ^
that whatever was extended, had Parts or Di- V
menfion that might be divi4ed. But let it be 4;^>
confidered, that Spirit having a Power of Motion ^
and Self-penetratioa, it can lefien its Extenfion ^

by

Metaphyfical Effay. 13

by increafing its Spifiitude, fo as to contradl
itfelf into the leaft poflible Point in Space j
and being an Unit or Monad, and having no
component Parts, it becomes then abfolutely
impenetrable, and confequently indifcerpible
by any finite Power ; and can afterwards, by
its elaftic Energy and Power of Motion, dilate
itfelf, and move outwards from its Centre, and
fo be greatly extended in Space, according to
the Powers given it by the Divine Being. This
Samenefs, Indivifibility, and Indifcerpibility,
with its Adlivity, or Power of Motion, is the
chief Charaderiftic of Spirit, to diftinguifh it
from Matter ; which has been generally appre-
hended to be infinitely divifible, and yet ftill
to remain Matter.

The next Charaderiftic of Spirit I fliall
mention, is, its Power of Compreffion and
Dilatation ^ by which it can aft in, and fill a
greater or fmaller Proportion of Space, ac-
cording to the Powers allotted to it by the Di-
vine Being. This has been already mentioned,
and may be underftood by what I have faid of
Self-motion and Self-penetration ; and it is by
this Power that we apprehend that Matter is
penetrated by a finite Spirit : The Parts of
Matter being imagined to be infinitely divifible,
it was fuppofed a Spirit might penetrate thro'
every Part of it : But as I have Pvcafon to be-
lieve, that neither Matter, nor any created Being,
is capable of infinite Divifion ; and that Matter
is made up of Atoms, Monads, or Minima

14 A Mifcetta7teous

Corporalia^ by Juxtapofition of Parts^ each
of which are impenetrable and indifcerpible, I
fhould rather fuppofe, fince a Vacuum in Space,
free from Matter, is now allowed, and the
Carte fian material Fluid, or Flejiiim^ is now ex-
ploded, fo that there are vaft Interftices in
Space, filled by no material created Being, as
alfo that in (what we call) Matter the moft
denfe there is vaflly more Vacuity than Body;
a Spirit, which may be condenfed fo far, as to
take up no more Place than a phyiical Point,
perhaps lefs than a Particle of Light, which I
apprehend to be the minuteft Particle of what
we call Matter, may very eafily convey itfelf
through thofe Vacuities in Body, and fo feem
to penetrate the very Subftance ; whereas the
Atoms in firfb component Parts of Matter, as
well as the Form and Vehicle of Spirit, may
be ftill impenetrable to each other ; and the
Spirit, after pervading the Pores in Matter,
may be fo inlarged, as again to fill a confider-
able Part of Space, and have its Powers at the
fame time inlarged fo much, as to aft in a
larger Sphere, and yet the Identity of the Per-
fon or Spirit be the fame. Thus may Spirits
be endow'd with great Powers, and have Power
over inferior Orders of Spirits, by compreffing
their Forms or Vehicles, and confining them
to a fmaller Proportion of Space ; and thus re-
flrain moft of their vital Powers,* or perhaps
all their Senfations and Perceptions -, and may
have Power to comprefs them io^ as to di-

minifh

Metaphyseal Effay. 15

miniili them to the Size of a Particle of Light,
or to the leaft conceivable Atom j fo that all
their Powers may remain unadive, and little
more than their Entity be left with them.

The other Property of Spirit, a Power of
beginning, altering, or flopping Motion in it-
felf or Matter, being a necelTary Property of
an aftive Being, needs no Proof.

I fliall next confider the Charaderiftics of
Matter, according to the common Idea we
have of it ; which, I think, may be reduced to
thefe two : Its being abfolutely paffive, that is,
incapable of beginning or adding to Motion,
and thus being abfolutely indifferent to Motion
or Reft, with its Power of Refiftance to the
Alteration of its State ; and the other, of being
compofed of Parts infinitely divifible, that is,
that tho' you divide its component Parts inde-
finitely as far as Thought can go, yet it fliaU
always contain adiual component Parts, and
never be reduced to an Unity, As to Exten-
fion, it feems to be plain, that Subftance, and
all Spirits, are extended : And as to Impenetra-
bility, I have already obferved, that Spirits
reduced to their greateft Spiffitude, are equally
impenetrable to each other, as the component
Parts of Matter are to each other : So that the
chief Diftindlion left wdth Matter from Spirit,
is its Paffivity and Multiplicity, againft the
Adlivity and Unity of Spirit.

I fliall now confider, whether, by this Idea
of Matter, that it is infinitely divifible, witiv

out

i6 A Mifcellanecu^

out being capable of being reduced to an Unk
or Atom, any fuch thing as Matter can be in
the Univerfe. I muft fay^ it appears to me to
be very abfurd for a finite Being to confifl of
component Parts infinitely divifible ; for, by
confequence, each compounding Part muft be
infinitely little ; and a Being infinitely little has
no Dimenfions, or Figure, more than a Being
infinitely great : How any Number of thefe,
that have neither Dimenfions or Figure, and
confequently are not extended, can, by a
finite Number, make any Quantity, is beyond
my Comprehenfion. In our Method of com-
puting. Finite, divided by Infinite, gives what
is called an Infinitefimal, but not a Nothing ^
but this is properly Finite divided by Indefinite,
and is a computative Divifion in Thought, but
no a6lual Divifion, fo as to feparate the conr
ceivable Parts.

This alfo muft be a Confequence, if Matter
is infinitely divifible, or contains an infinite
Number of component Parts, which is the
fame thing ; that each Particle of Matter con-
tains as much as all the Matter in the Univerfe 5
for one Infinite cannot be greater than another,
tho' Indefinites may j as an indefinite Number
of Surfaces, in an idefinite Series, is greater
than an indefinite Number of Lines.

On the contrary, if wc fuppofe Matter to
contain a finite Number of component Parts,
then each of thefe Parts may be reduced to an
Unit or Monad, and muft be impenetrable

and

Metaphyjical EfTay. 17

and indifcerpible, and preferve its Identity ; and
confequently have one of the Properties allowed
to Spirit.

There feems to be alfo another Difficulty, if
not an Abfurdity, in fuppofing Matter to have
an infinite Number of component Parts, that,
flop where you will in carrying down its Divi-
iibility, and there you mull ftill fuppofe it to
have three Dimenfions : Suppofe it a Globe, or
Cube, continue the Divifion on infinitely, pa-
rallel to its Axe, or the Surface of the Cube, as
you fubdivide it downwards, by adding the
Surfaces together, which are ftill folid, you
can conceive a folid Body with a Surface infi-
nitely large ; for every Divifion that is made
doubles the Surfaces ; lb that from a Particle of
Matter almoft infinitely little, may be made a
Body with a Surface almoft infinitely big, as far
extended as Thought can reach 5 which feems
to be abfurd in any finite Being. Is it not more
rational to fuppofe, that God has made the firft
Atoms of Matter, as well as Spirit, indivifible
and indifcerpible ; and that in the Siibjlratum
or Subftance of each there is no Difference,
but only in the Powers and Properties, that
fome are acftive, and others paffive ; and that
the component Parts of Matter or Body are
aftive and paffive Monads or Atoms, and Body
may be made up by the Union of both ? This
feems alfo more agreeable to, and confonant
with, Almighty Power and Wifdom, than to
create Particles of Matter, each of which are

C capable

1 8 A Mifcellaneous

capable of eternal and infinite Divifion, tho'
finite in Extenfion ; which feems to imply a
Contradiction : Then it would be no-way in-
con fiftent, that many of thefe Atoms or Pri-
mums, which make up Maffes of furrounding
Beings or Bodies, fhould be fpermatical and.
vital, and endow'd with an ad:ive Principle.

There remains now nothing with Matter but
its Paffivity : How far the feveral corporeal in-
animate Beings around us partake of Paffivity,
muft be the Subjedl of farther Inquiry. If thofe
we know beft prove not to be abfolutely paf-
live, then there is an End to our common Idea
of Matter, and the Beings around us muft be
accounted for after a different Manner than they
have hitherto been by our Schoolmen and Ma-
terialifts.

CHAR III.

Of the Nature of Beings around uSy how far
they are active or pajjive, and partake of the
CharaBeriJiics of Spirit and Matter.

\ NGELS, and beatified Spirits, who
jfj^ undoubtedly inherit and refide in the
asthereal Regions, and Fields of Light, enjoy
the Powers and Charadteriftics of acSive and
fpiritual Beings in a very eminent Degree, and
not only have the intelledtual Powers of Rea-
3 fon

Metaphyjical Eflay. ig

ion and Senfation, and a Power of moving
themfelves, and fuch corporeal Beings as are
void of Perception and Senfe, but probably
over other fpiritual Beings of lov^er Orders,
and of fuch as refide in the feveral Planets,
with their Atmofpheres, and in the fuperior
aereal and aethereal Regions. Man, we find,
has not only the aftive Power of beginning and
direfting'Motion, and moving corporeal Beings,
but alfo higher Faculties of Perception, Rcafon,
Volition, Memory, and other animal Senfa-
tions. The Brutal Part of the Creation have
alfo adlive fpiritual Beings, capable of Percep-
tion and Senfe, and a lower Degree of Reafon,
commonly called Inftind:, by which they fup-
port themfelves, and provide for their Young.
The lower Clafs of Animals, inhabiting the
airy and watry Elements, and alfo Reptiles
upon the Earth, have Senfations, and are ca-
pable of Pleafure and Pain ; have a Power to
avoid Danger, and to preferve themfelves, and
a Power of Self-motion, as well as of moving
other Beings. Some have little more Senfation
than Plants, and are confined like them to a
particular Place. Plants are endowed with an
adtive Principle, tho' fixed to a Place, by which
their feveral Seeds flioot and inlarge themfelves,
each Species retaining its ow^n Form, and propa-
gating its own Kind : And no doubt its plaftic
Nature, by wdiich each Seed (hoors itfelf into the
fame Form, isan adtiveEeing, w^hich forms and
confines the other Particles of Matter which
C 2 nouri.ih

20 A Mifcellaneous

nourifli and inflate its Form, and difpofes them,
by its active Principle, to make up its agreeable
Figure ; fo that there is more in it than that
paffive feeing which is called Matter. Let us
proceed lower, and examine into the Nature of
Foffils, Metals, and Salts ; and we fhall find
in them a vegetative Principle, when they are
put into a proper State and Situation for it ; for
what are their feveral Cryftallizations, but a
Power,' when in a fluid State, of attracting
each other, and thus fhooting into Salts of re-
gular Forms, which is a lower Degree of Ve-
getation ? If we proceed yet lower; to the leaft
Significant of corporeal Beings, fuch as Stones,
Earth, Clay, &c. we find thefe are endowed
with an active Principle, even the minuteft Par-
ticle of them our Senfes are capable of compre-
hending : For, fince Matter is allowed to be
purely pafiive, and consequently has no one
adive Principle, if there be in thefe loweft
Particles of corporeal Beings any thing which
begins, increafes, diredls, or alters Motion in
their feveral Parts, then they are adtive Beings,
and confequently within our Idea of fpiritual
Beings of the loweft Order : For, by our efta-
blifhed Idea of Matter, what is it, but a Quan-^
tity divided into indefinitely fmall Particles or
Atoms, each of which has no Power to ac-
cede to, or recede from, each other, according
as they are placed contiguous to one another,
or at a Diftance ? whereas there is not one Par-
ticle of what we call corporeal Beings around

us.

'Metaphyseal Effay. 2i

us, but what v/ill approach to, or fly from, each
other, and that fometimes with the greateil
Rapidity -, for what elfe is the Power of At-
tradlion, Cohefion, Gravity, Magnetifm, Ele-
6lricity, Elafticity, Fermentation, &c. but ei-
ther an ad:ive Principle in thofe feveral Atoms
or Monads of corporeal Beings, which exerts
its Cojiafus to Motion ; or from fomething
which proceeds from an aftive Being, which
rules over the whole Syftem of Nature in in-
finite Space ; or from fome other fubordinate
Being, whofe Power and Influence extends to
a particular Syftem, fuch as our Solar Syftem,
which compels, by a continued acflive Force,
the feveral Particles or Atoms of Matter to
obey thefe general Laws ; or otherwife to a
Number of other Beings, who all concur in
forcing Matter by Impulfe to obey thefe gene-
ral Laws ? No other Method occurs to me^
by which the feveral Phaenomena in the cor-
poreal World around us can be folved. I fliall
therefore confider, firft, the Nature of the fe-
veral Powers I have enumerated above, fome
of which are Properties of every Particle of
Matter, and others only belong to Mufles of
particular Species of Bodies, as Magnetifm and
Eledtricity.

Attraftion and Gravity feem to be Properties

::^of mofi: Particles of Matter that we have any

cs Knowlegc of. Attraction and Cohefion I take

,^.to be Powers communicated to Particles of

^Matter by the Divine Being ; by which, whea

C 3 withu\

2 2 A Mifcellaneous

within a proper Diftance, they rufli into each
other, and cohere, in whatever Situation they
meet ; whereas Gravity always tends towards
the Centre of a Mafs of corporeal Beings, fach
as the Planets or Earthy but, uponContad, do
not cohere. Whether thefe Powers of Attra-
dlion or Cohefion, and Gravity, be from Attra-
d:ion or Impulfe, is worthy of ferious Confi-
deration. If it be from Impulfe, then it muft
proceed from an adlive Being, diflinft from
the Particles of Matter, which are impelled and
forced together by that foreign Power. If Co-
'hefion be from Attradlion, it would feem to
proceed from an adive Principle in each Par-
ticle to join with another contiguous Particle,
and enter into or embrace each other ^ what-
ever way it is, from hence is Cohefion between
the fir ft Particles or Atoms, of which folid
Mafl^es of Matter are formed. Some appre-
hend Matter to cohere by the Particles having
little Hooks, which catch each other, and
won't admit eafily any thing to feparate them :
But, in the Materialifts Notion of Matter being
compofed of Parts infinitely divifible, what is
it holds together thefe Hooks ? for infinitely
fmall Panicles can have no Figure ; and, when
the moft folid Metals are made fluid by Fire,
by which means the Hocks would be broke,
from whence proceeds Cohefion again when
cold, when the violent Motion of the Fire is
over ? It is from hence plain, that fome gene-
ral Force is upon each particular Particle of

Matter,

Metaphyjical ElTay. 23

Matter, by fome adive Being foreign to Mat-
ter ; or that the firft Elements or Particles of
corporeal Beings have Adivity in them, by
which each affimilate with their Like ; and,
when within their proper Sphere of Adion,
they ruih together, and cohere, and that fo
firmly, as to refill a moft furprifing Force or
Weight: Such are Metals, when, drawn into
Wire, and fmall Rods : When, at the fame
time, by pouring on it a foft Fluid, fach as
Aquafortis^ all its Cohefion is over, and the
Metal afiimilates with it, and becomes fluid, by
being more powerfully attracted by the Par-
ticles of the Fluid.

Gravity is a Power or Law forced upon
Matter, diftindt from Cohefion, becaufe it ads
at furprifing Diftances, as v/ell as when near;
and when Bodies are in Contad, they do not
cohere. By this Principle the lea ft Atom of
Matter, tho' at a great Diftance, and a contrary
Motion had been communicated to it, direds
its Motion towards that Mafs or Globe of Mat-
ter which is nigheft it, if in that Globe there
be a fufficient Quantity of Matter to over-
balance a greater Mafs, in a larger Globe,
fix'd at a greater Diftance from it -, otherwife it
would gravitate more towards the larger Globe,
tho' placed at a greater Diftance from it : As
for Inftance : Suppofe, in round Numbers, the
Moon and Earth are diftant from each other
240,000 Miles, and that there is 24 times as
much Matter in the Earth as in the Moon ;
C 4 fufpend

24 A Mifcellaneous

fufpend a Bullet 10,000 Miles diftant from the
Moon, and 230,000 Miles from the Earth,
and it would remain immoveable, gravitating
equally to each ; for the Diftance from each,
and Quantity of Matter in each, being in a
reciprocal Proportion, it would be attraded or
impelled equally to each : But if it were re-
moved never fo little more towards the Earth
than the Proportion of 23 to i, fuppofe 1000
Miles, then it would gravitate towards the
Earth, tho' it (hould be ftill 229,000 Miles
from it, and but 1 1,000 from the Moon. This
Principle of Gravitation we find not only in
every Atom of this Globe we live in, nay, even
in the Air thro' our Atmofphere, and in the
purer iEther beyond it, .but alfo thro' the
whole Solar Syftem : And we have Reafon to
believe the fame Law or Principle continues thro*
all the Worlds and Stars, with their Syftems,
fcatter'd thro' the immenfe Diftances of Space ;
and that each of thefe Stars, with their Syftems,
gravitate towards each other ; for we find it
thus in our Comets, which circumvolve our
Sun in the moil eccentric Elliples -, fo as to
approach fometimes near the very Disk of the
Sun, and at other times to recede from it fo
far, as they might be apprehended to be with-
out its Influence ; and yet they appear again,
returning and revolving in their Orbs, accord-
ing to the Laws of Gravitation.

Magnetifm and Eledtricity are of the fame
Nature, but adt only upon feme particular

Maffes

Metaphyfical Effay, 25

Maffes of Matter ; as the Magnet and Iron,
Amber, Glafs, Wax, ^c. when rubb'd, and
other light Bodies which come within their In-
fluence. The Magnet only ads upon Iron at
a proper Diftance ; and it feems to be from the
fame Principle that Cohefion is ; for they rufli
together, and cohere, tho' their Surfaces arc
poliflied, and can have no Hooks to hold them
together : This, whether it proceeds from At-
traction or Impulfe may be difficult to afcertain ;
for in fome Cafes it feems to be repel I'd ; as
when a Needle is touch 'd by either of the Poles,
that Pole which touch'd it attracfls it, wliilfl
the other Pole repels it from it; yet if it is
brought very near to that repelling Pole, and
touches it, it is attracted by that Pole, and flies
from the other which attrad:ed it before. No
doubt there are fubtil Efliuvia which fly from
the Magnet, and others which ru/h into its fe-
veral Poles ; but it is furprifing that thefe Par-
ticles fhould pervade all other folid Maffes of
Matter, even thofe more folid than Iron,
and only exert their Power upon Iron. And
if it be from Impulfe, it's equally furprifing
how thefe Efliuvia can fly off* with fuch Ra-
pidity, and alter the Diredion of their Motion,
and return again with fuch Force, as to make
the Iron adhere to the Pole of the Pvlagnet,
without fome adive Principle in the feveral
Particles of the Magnet, to begin, continue, and
alter the Diredion of the Motion of the feveral
Particles of the Effluvia.

Eledricity

26 A Mifcellaneous

Electricity is no lefs furprifing, from the Ex-
periments made to difcover its Power lately ;
for, by repeated Experiments, it is found to adt
at the Diftance of many hundred Yards, with
fuch Force, as to raife Feathers, and Leaf-
Brafs, if there be a proper Line to convey it ;
which is not neceffary to be ftrait, but may be
either curv'd or angular ; and thefe Effluvia,
when made to coalefce, will emit Light or Fire,
and make a grec' i Shock by the Explofion.

Elafticity is a Law or Principle belonging to
many Parts of Matter ; by which, when two
equal cr unequal Particles or Maffes of Body in
Motion meet each other in a contrary Diredlion,
the Motion does not ceafe, as might reafonably
be expedled from paffive Matter; but, by a
refilient or repelling Power in each, they re-
cede from each other with almoft the fame
Velocity with which they met. If both were
perfectly elaftic, no Part of the Motion would
be loft, but each would communicate to the
other that Quantity of Motion the other had
when they met. Without this Principle in
Matter, there would be no Enjoyment of kn^
fitive Life. This is the Property of Light and
Fire, and the Occafion of both the pleafing
and difpleafing Senfations we find from them,
according to their Quantity, and the Rapidity
of the Motion. It is from the Motion and
Reflexion of the Particles of Light, that all
Vifion is performed ; and from thence, and
their different Refradion, that the Figures and

Colours

Metaphyseal EfTay. 27

Colours of diftant Objeds are convey 'd to, and
painted upon, the Retina in the Bottom of the
Eye, and from thence are conveyed to the
common Senforium, This elaftic Power of
Light, which is capable of fo rapid a Motion,
as to fly at leaft eighty iMillions of Miles, the
Diftance of the Sun from the Earth, in (even
or eight Minutes ; which is fo rapid, as fcarce
to be conceiv'd or believ'd, till it was confirmed
by the great Sir Ifaac Newton^ from the repeat-
ed Obfervations of the Eclipfes of Jupiter %
Satellites ; this elaftic Power can't be fup-
pofed a Power in pafTive Matter, if a Particle
of Light can be called Matter ; for Matter can
neither begin, add to, nor alter the Direction
of Motion. From whence is it that a Particle
of Light, coming with fach Velocity, and
touching the Surface of a Leaf of a Tree,
which fhould feem thin and weak to repel fo
violent a Motion^ fliall repel the green Rays
with almoft equal Velocity, whilft it receives
the other colour'd Rays, and allows them either
to pafs thro' its Pores, or retains them by many-
Reflexions within its Surface, until the Motion
is leflen'd or loft:, and Attraction takes its Place,
and they cohere to the other Particles of the
Leaf; or perhaps, by uniting with fomeof the
Juices of the Plant, are fent off united to them
with an eafy Motion, fo as gratefully to affed our
Senfe of Smelling with their delicious Odours?
But whatever Way it may be accounted for,
there is- certainly Motion direfted a quite dif-
ferent

2 8 A Mifcellaneous

ferent Way, which could not be occafioned by
the paffive Quality of Matter; and this muft
either be from a Power inherent in thefe minute
indivifible Atoms, the Particles of Light, from
their firft Form.ation by the Divine Being,
whereby they have a Power to begin, alter, or
increafe Motion, by altering their Form and
Extenfion in Space, which is a Self-moving
Principle 5 or otherwife muft be occafioned by
the Impulfe of a fpiritual Being, which per-
vades all things, and direds thefe Motions, at
immenie Dillances, by Laws prefcribed by the
Almighty Lawgiver.

The Abbe Pluche, and others, whofe Opi-
nions differ with this Account of the Rapidity
of the Motion of the Particles of Light pro-
ceeding thro' the ^ther from the Sun to the
Eye, in fo fhort a time as (^w^n or eight Mi-
nutes, fuppofe that the Fire in the Sun does
not emit thofe Particles of Light which reach
us, more than a Bell, when ftruck, fends the
Particles of Air it touches, by its Vibration, to
the Ear, at a Diftance from the Bell ; but that,
as the Air is an elaftic continuous Fluid, and
undulates to the Ear, which is the Caufe of
Sound, fo the iEther is a perfectly elaftic Fluid,
which fills all Space, and is formed of, and
filled with, Particles or Globules of elementary
Fire or Light, which, when in Equilibrio, has
fo little Motion, as not to give the Senfation of
Light or Heat, unlefs it be put into Motion by
a vibrating Power : That Fire or Light has no

Force

Metaphyjtcat Effay. 2t)

Force or Adion, but where it meets with Re-
fiftance in Bodies of Matter • but at other tiaies
freely pervades the Pores of all material Beings,
and is perfedtly elaftic : That the Fire in the
Sun, by the great Oppofition in fo great a Mafs
of Matter, is mod intenfe, and confequently
its Vibrations inconceivably elaftic and rapid ;
fo that its Vibrations upon the adjoining iEther,
or Fluid of Light, which is perfectly elaftic
and continuous, undulate with the Velocity
afcribed to the Particles of Light by Sir Ijkac
Newtcn^ fo as to come 80,000,000 of Miles in
feven or eight Minutes to our Globe : And this
elaftic Fluid of Light, the iEther, being ex-
tremely denfe near the Diftc of the Sun, is
more rare according to, or in proportion to, its
Diftance from the Sun ; and, by its elaftic
Power, is the Caufe of Gravitation towards the
Sun, and feveral Planets, by forcing all material
Particles towards the Centre of our feveral
Syftems, and other opaque Globes of Matter,
by its Energy, Spring, or repelling Power ;
which increales as it approaches towards the
Surfaces of the Suns, or Phmets, and Comets,
in the reciprocal duplicate Ratio of its Dift;j:ice
from each.

Upon this Hypothefis the Fluid of Light or
Fire is not produced by the Sun, or terreftiijl
Fire here ; the Particles of Fire or Light being
only thrown off, which are impiifon d in Mat-
ter, by its rapid vibrating Motion, which, im-
pels the adjoining fluid /Ether in ftrait-lin'd

Ray^

30 A Mtfcellaneom

Rays from the central vibrating Fire (which
would have remained at Reft, or in EquiUbrio,
were it -not from the vibrating Force of the
heated Globe) to the fuperior Part of the Sy-*
ftem, until it meets with a planetary Orb, or
other Particles, to divert its Motion, and repel
it to the Eye of the Obferver, fo as to give the
Senfation of Light and Colours ; which Par-
ticles are either agaia reflecfted, or cohere (af-
ter its Motion is retarded or ftopt) to the Body
it enters, until they are feparated again by
Heat or Motion.

Thefe Undulations are very different from
thofe of Air, which caufe Sound > for Sound is
convey 'd, by a Curve, over a Wall or intermediate
Body J but Light is only convey'd in Right-lines;
and in paffing thro' the ^Ether, tho' collecfted
in the Focus of a Burning-glafs, emit no Light
fide-ways, unlefs they are refledled by fome
opaque Particles of Matter. However, whe-
ther Light is caufed by Particles immediately
emitted by the Sun, or terreftrial Fire, or by
Particles of an elaftic aethereal Fluid in Contact
with the Eye or Senforium ; whichever way
it is caufed, here is Motion diredled contrary
or different from the firft Lnpulfe, confe-
quently has an aftive Principle different from
paffive Mauer.

Nor is it eafy to be conceived how fo rapid
a Motion can be made in the Globules of a
Fluid almoft perfectly elaftic, unlefs they were
perfeftly hard and contiguous 3 and then, as in

a

Metaphyfical Effay. 31

a Number of Billiard-Bails, it ihould be in-
ftantaneous, unlefs we allow that perfedly
elaftic Bodies or Monads vibrate fo, as their
Figure yields to the Stroke, and is again re-
ftored to its former Figure, by entering into it-
felf, and expanding again ; which I apprehend
to be its fourth Dirnenfion, and Caufe of its
Adivity.

This great vibrating Power in the Sun may
be eafily accounted for from the fame Hypo-
thefis : For if it fhould be compofed of fpiri-
tual elaftic Monads, either united with, or ad-
joining to, the paffive Atoms of paffive Mat-
ter, and are, by the fuperior Force of the per-
fedly elaftic i!^ther, the divine Inftrument and
Fountain of Light, which pervades and fills all
Space, and is the Caufe of Gravitation, impellU
together and condensed exceedingly by forcing
them to re-enter into themfelves \ their na-
tural Power and Conatus to extend their Form,
repels the furrounding i^ther by their Elafticity,
and caufes that quick vibrating Motion of Light
in the perfedlly elaftic i^ther, which is com-
pofed of elementary Fire or Light ; which be-
ing direfted originally, or refleded, upon the
Retina in the Eye, and conveyed to the
Senforium in the Brain, is the Caufe of Vi-
lion.

This elaftic Power, by which the Particles
of Light are refleded, which is the Caufe of
Vifion, and the elaftic Power of the Air, which
occafions Hearing, by tlieir Reflexion and Vi-
bration,

32 A MifceUa?2eous ■

bration, feems to be from the Particles of Light
and Air altering their Form, by being indivi-
fible, and capable of Compreffion and Dilata-
tion ; and by an inherent Power to reftore
themfelves to their former Figure, or at leaft to
alter their Figure by Compreffion, upon Con-
tad: with fome other Being ; by which means
a new Motion is made, which proceeds in a
different Diredlion ; whereas, were they made
up of feparable Parts, and had no Power of
Cohefion, they would flop or feparate when
they met another Body at Reft.

Let us confider the Nature of Fire, and fuch
Subftances wherein the Pabulum of Fire is
contained at Reft, as Sulphurs, Oils, Bitumen,
Wood, &c, and fuppofe their Mafles to be
made up of mere paffive Particles at Reft :
Kindle any of thefe in Mafles together, but
with a fmall Spark, and obferve what an In-
creafe of Motion proceeds from the Motion of
that Spark -, what Motion from one Spark in
a Heap of Gunpowder ; and confider if that
can be accounted for by mere paffive Matter ;
but may eafily, by fuppofing Particles of Light
and Air to have a Power of Motion, as of Rare-
faction, a Power of receding from each other,
and expanding themfelves, and increafing their
Extenfion.

Many of thefe Particles of Light lofe their
Motion, when they enter into the Pores of the
feveral Bodies around us, and many remain
and adhere to the Bodies they enter ^ fo that

I

Metaphyjical Effay. 33

I apprehend Vegetables confift, in great part, of
thefe Particles, which makes them lb inflam-
mable ; and that the Pabulum of our material
Fire is nothing more than the imprifon'd Rays
or Particles of Light, when united to Salts, and
other Particles of Body -, and that the ftrong
Heat and Motion of Fire, when kindled, is
nothing more than the Struggle of the impri-
fon'd or fetter'd Rays to break from the Salts
and aqueous Particles they are united with ;
and, when that Motion becomes exceeding
quick. Fire then glows, and is thrown off in
lucid Rays : Where the Struggle is ftrongeft,
as in Metals, Sulphurs, and Glafs, the Fire and
Flame is intenfe, as requiring a ftronger Motion
to break from its Fetters : Where the Union is
weak, as in Alcohol, where it is only united to
elementary Water, there is no Struggle, and
the Motion flower y and it goes off accordingly
with a weak blue Flame : But, when united
with Nitre, which is only imprifon'd Air con-
densed as much as poffible, interfpers'd with
Charcoal, to make it kindle together, then the
Force and Explofion, upon the Rarefadion of
the Air in the Nitre, becomes terrible, and no
Force can confine it, neither the Cohefion of
Rocks or Metals ; but it forces its Way thro'
all Oppofition. Thefe Particles of Light are
the Caufe of Vegetation, by raifing of Vapours,
and the Juices in Plants -, for they being ca-
pable of Contradlion and Dilatation, they joia
with aqueous Particles, and inlarge them ; and

D the

34 ^ Mifcellaneous

the Particles of Light having Httle or no Gra-
vity, that we know of, they inflating the aque-
ous Particles, make them become fpecifically
lighter than the Air ; by which means they
mount into the Air, and there the Motion of
the Fire leffening, they condenfe, and fo be-
come of an equal Weight with the Air in the
upper Regions of the Atmofphere 5 and, being
attracted by each other, they join, and form
Clouds ; and then being united, they are more
condensed, and become fpecifically heavier than
the Air, and fo fall in Rain. After the fame
manner they are raifed in the Tubes of Vege-
tables, with feveral Salts, and earthy Particles;
and what is more than fuflicient to nourifli the
Plant, flies off in Vapour from the Leaves and
BloflToms.

Fermentation, which we often call Corrup-
tion, but ought rather to be called the Parent of
Vegetation and Generation, is alfo occafioned
by this elafl:ic Fluid of Light and Fire ; and is
only a lefs rapid Motion of Fire, which by de-
grees breaks the Union of the feveral Parts of
Matter. When the Union of the Parts is weak,
then the Heat and Fermentation neceflary to
feparate the Parts is but fmall, as in Hay and
Straw v/et with Water -y unlefs it be in a great
Quantity, and prefs'd together by its Weight ;
then it will kindle and burn. Thus Fermenta-
tion, by the Elafticity, attrad:ing and repelling
Powers inherent in Fire, and the feveral Par-
ticles of Matter, breaks the former Union of

the

Metaphyseal Eflay. 35

the Particles of Bodies, and they become fit
again to unite with other Bodies, whilft the
feminal Power, or fpiritual Monad, in the Seed,
atttrad:s to itfelf fuch Particles as are fit for its
Increafe and Nourifliment, and to affift it in
extending and unfolding its Form. And thus
Foffils and Salts cryftallize, and Vegetables put
on their f^veral Forms : For Light and Heat
iirft breaks the Cohefion of Metals, Stones, Gfc.
and the Motion being leflen'd by degrees, by
an Union of cold Fluids, Water, Air, &c. im-
pregnated with Salts, they give Admiffion to
the Spirit of the Seed to form a proper Nidus^
in order to unfold their Vehicles, and inlarge
their Forms. Thefe attracting their feveral
proper Juices raifed by the Heat in their Tubes,
with a proper Proportion of Salts, Earth, &c.
according to the feveral Species of Plants, I ap-
prehend to be the Caufe of Vegetation as well
in Animals as in Plants.

D 2 CHAP.

36 A Mifcellamous

CHAP. IV.

Some Thoughts upon the Nature of the Divi?ie
Being, in Analogy to our Human Nature -,
and farther ConfideratioJts^ whether the active
Powers we obferve in Matter be by Impulfe
from a fuperior Beings or from inherent
powers given to material Beings by the Deity
at their firfi Creation,

SINCE, from the foregoing Obfervations,
it is obvious that the Particles of corporeal
Beings around us have adlive Powers communi-
cated to them by the Almighty and Firft Caufe,
by v^hich they fubmit to fuch eftabliili'd Laws,
as are neceffary for making out the feveral Ap-
pearances in this outward and fenfible World,
and yet feemingly exert a Conatus to move and
extend themfelves in Space ; it is worthy of our
ferious Inquiry, v^hether the Firft Caufe has
made corporeal Beings around us of fpiritual as
well as paffive Monads or Particles, in which
all their Faculties, which may afterwards ap-
pear in time, are dormant and ftagnant, and
jiothing appears but the Powers of Attraction,
Cohefion, Elafticity, Gf^r. and a Power of in*
larging themfelves by their feminal Powers^
when in proper Nidus' Sy by Application of
Heat and Moifture, they may put on Vegetable

or

Metaphyfical Eflay. 37

or Animal Forms : Or whether they are all
compounded of paffive Particles, incapable of
being reduced to an Unity ; and that thofe are
conftantly moved by a boundlefs Spirit, which
pervades all things in the mundane Syftem, and
by an impelling Power forces thofe Particles of
Matter to attract, repel, gravitate, &c. as well
at immenfe Dillances, as when near each other.
The Knowlege of this is beyond what Men
c;in reafonably hope to attain to, or fully com-
prehend. However, by a ferious Application,
fome Obfervations may be made, that may
lead us in time to find out the Truth, and to
admire the all-powerful and all-wife Condudl
of Providence.

If we iliould fuppofe the Infinite and Eter«
nal Firft Caufe, God the Father, whom we
conceive the Source of the Deity, as well as of
all finite Beings, to be, by a perpetual Energy
or Adivity, exerting himfelf in fupporting in-
animate corporeal Beings, and forcing them tb
obey thefe Laws I have mentioned, fuch as
Gravity, Cohefion, Elafticity, cffr. we muft
then fuppofe that Infinite Firft Caufe the Soul
of the Univerfe rather than the Caufe ; and,
tho' we believe him Almighty, yet it may be
dubious whether he exerts always that his in--
finite Adlivity, tho' he is capable of it at plea-
fure; for if fo, after he had created all Things,
he could not be faid to have refted from his
Labours, fuppofing him ftill to continue his
infinite Power and Adivity to fupport the

D 3 mundane

38 A Mifcellaneous

mundane Syftem, as well as at the time of its
Creation ; and if he fhould not, the Form of
all corporeal Beings would fall into Atoms,
whenever the impulfive Power that caufes
Gravity, Gfc. fhould ceafe.

This Suppofition, of God's being the Soul
of the inanimate World, feems to be too low
for the Idea of the Fir ft Unoriginated Intelli-
gence, whofe chief Glory and Happinefs we
ought rather to conceive to arife from his mo-
ral intelledtual Faculties, fuch as his Goodnefs,
Mercy, Truth, and Juftice, in making intelli-
gent created Beings happy. Yet, on the other
hand, to fuppofe the Infinite Firft Caufe to be
inactive, and at Reft, fince Life in created Be-
ings we find confifts in Adivity, may be ap-
prehended as degrading the Idea of a Deity,
and fuppofing God to be an indolent Being.
We ought therefore to avoid thefe Extremes,
and neither fuppofe the Deity to be inactive,
nor oblig'd always to make ufe of an infinite
Energy and Labour to fupport the Fabric he
has made ; and rather believe, that his chief
Pleafure is from his intelledual Faculties, in
fuperintending and governing the intelledlnal
World, without fuppofing him to be the Soul
of the World, always exerting the fame Force
to fupport it, as when it was firft created.

Since, from our Chriftian Faith, we acknow-
lege Three Powers, Perfons, or Intelligencies
in the Deity, tho' the Knowlege of that My-
ftery be above the Apprehenfion of our finite

Under-

Metaphyseal Effay. 39

Underftandings s yet we may be allowed to
form Ideas of thefe Three Powers or Perfons
in the Deity, from lower Appearances in
created Beings, as well fpiritual as corporeal,
and from Paflages in Holy Writ, upon which
we are allowed to ruminate and reflect. Let
us then look into the little Microcofm of Man,
and we (hall find three diftin6t Powers in our
Nature : One Power of Intelligence, by which
we think, refiecl, and reafon -, which we con-
ceive to be abfolutely free from Matter, Form,
or Figure, fuitable to the Idea we form of the
Immenfe Deity : Another Power we have of
Self-motion, of moving our corporeal Vehicle;
and a perceptive Power of Beings without us,
from our Senfations : This makes us focial, and
connefts us to the vifible World ; and this
Union with our Vehicle is the Caufe of our
Spirit or Intellect's being confined to a particu-
lar Place in Space ; otherwife, our Intelle(fl be-
ing as free as Thought, without fuch Vehicle
and Union, might range, like Thought, from
one Point of infinite Space to another in a Mo-
ment : This gives us a Form and Extenfion in
Space, and enables us, by certain Reftridions,
to ufe or not ufe our intelledtual Faculties, ac-
cording as we are afted upon by material Beings
around us ; which, by confining our Form or
Extenfion, lock up our reafoning Faculties, and
deprive us of Memory and Reflection, and leave
us in an inactive or dormant State, as our Souls
are in Embryo, or at or before our Conception

D 4 ia

40 A Mifcellaneous

in the Womb. There is a third Power in our
Being, of which we have not the fole Diredtion,
tho' it is in fome meafiire fubfervient to our
other Faculties -, and that is, our plaftic or
plantal Power ; by which means we vegetate
and inlarge our Form, until we arrive at the
State of Manhood, and inlarge our fupeiior
Faculties, as far as is allow'd in our corporeal
Habitations. Over this plantal Principle we
have very little Power ; nor can we at pleafure
fiop thofe involuntary Motions that tend to its
Increafe, fuch as Refpiration, and the Motion
of the Heart, unlefs by Violence we deprive
ourfelves of animal Life. In this Nature feem
to be feated our animal Paffions, Sympathies,
and Antipathies, which often get the better of
our Reafon, and ^re with great Difficulty kept
within Bounds by our intelleftual Faculties:
This plaftic Power, tho' a Part of our Being,
yet feem.s to be different from our intelledlual
and fenlitive Life ; and feems to be the Source
of Self-love, as the other two are of our Love
to God and our Neighbour ; which, when
kept in due Subordination to our Reafon, is of
great Ufe to us in our animal State.

Since our Being is, in Miniature, a faint
Refemblance of the Deity, we being made af-
ter his Image, Why may we not fuppofe the
Three Perfons or Powers in the Deity to be
fimilar, or bear an Analogy, to thefe Three
Powers in our Being, tho' infinitely fuperior to
us y and that God the Father, the Unoriginated

and

Metaphyjical Effay. 41

and Firft Caufe, is properly that Immenfe and
Eternal Intelled:, without Form, Figure, or
Motion ? That our Redeemer, God the Son,
the Only-begotten of the Father, the exprels
Image of his Perfon, by whom he made the
vifible World, and who hath the fupreme Super-
intendence of all vifible and created Beings, may
be fuppofed that Second Power in the Deity,
to whom we bear a Refemblance in our animal
Form and Vehicle, by which our Intellect is'
united to this vifible World, and we become
focial : And this feems agreeable to the Ex-
preflions of our Saviour, that ?io Man can fee
the Father^ but the Son -, becaufe the Supreme
Intelleft is not vifible, being furrounded with
Light inaccefllble : And our Blefled Redeemer
is faid to be the exprefs Image of his Perfon,
as being the only vifible Part of the Deity, as I
may fay, that comes under our Comprehenfion
in our animal State ; he being the Head and
Creator of our Vehicles, and of our Union
with them ; by which he hath connected us to
the vifible World, and made us focial. The
Third Power or Perfon in the Godhead, the Holy
Spirit, may be fuppofed analogous to our plafl:ic
or plantal Nature, and Author of our Paflions,
and of the Sympathies and Antipathies in our
Nature ; by which, as our animal corporeal
Being, and all corporeal Beings around us, are
made to be fubfervient to the Laws of Nature,
and to our intelledual Power, in carrying on
ihc Scheme of Providence ^ fo the Holy Spirit

inflai.es

42 A Mifcellaneous

inflates all corporeal Beings, and makes' them
fubfervient to thefe Laws, and fupports thefe
Powers in corporeal Beings, which link together
our mundane Syftem in its beautiful Frame;
and at the fame time influences our Paflions to
be fubfervient to Reafon and the Spirit of Grace :
And from thence he is called the Holy Spirit,
by infpiring us with celeftial or aethereal Fire ;
and may be called the Univerfal Spirit. This
feems alfo agreeable to the Account given of
the Holy Spirit in Holy Writ : When the
Apoftles received the Holy Ghoft, it came
with a rufhing Wind, in Appearance of Fire;
and Powers and Knowlege were immediately
communicated to them by Impulfe, by inflating
them with this celeflial Fire : And it would
feem, that the Apofl:les being filled with this
celeftial Fire, the Holy Spirit, when Miracles
were Wrought by them, that it was by this
Communication with this infinitely elaftic uni-
verfal Spirit, that fills infinite Space, that at any
Diftance ad:ed with the Volition of the Apoftles
inflated with the Holy Spirit, by a fympathetic
Energy, whereby it fufpended the Laws of
Nature for a time, and prevented their Cohe-
fion, Gravity, &c, and altered the Diredion
of Motion in corporeal Beings ; and thus it ftill
adted confonant to Truth, to itfelf. This feems
to me to be the folc and genuine Caufe of Gra-
vity ; unlefs there be a fubordinate Spirit of
Nature, fuch as the elaftic aethereal Fire, afting
under the Divine Spirit : For tho' Powers may

be

Metaphyfical Effay. 43

be originally given to the firft Elements or Par-
ticles of corporeal Beings, to attract and co-
here when in Contadl, or to repel and fly from
each other after Contact, by an elaftic Power ;
yet Gravitation adling uniformly at great Di-
ftances, cannot be accounted for by Attradion,
from that general Axiom, that nothing can
adt where it is not ; but may be eafily con-
ceived from Impulfe by the immenfe Spirit of
Nature, or by the elaftic aethereal Fire, by
which they are detcrmin'd towards each other
in a determined Proportion, according to the
Diftance and Quantity of Matter in each.

SlucBrey Whether there are not two diftind:
Spirits in the Government of the World, in
Subordination to the Divine Spirit, vix. the
Spirit of Grace, and the Spirit of Nature ; the
one infpiring with divine and focial Love, and
the other with Self-love ? And therefore we are
defired, in Holy Writ, to try the Spirits, Tou
know not what Spirit you are of. The Spirit
of Grace is that which fuperintends and adts in
the inward Man or Vehicle, by which means
a Portion of the moral Attributes of God is
communicated to our rational Souls -, and thus
we become good, merciful, juft, prudent, wife,
G?c. and this increafes our divine and focial
Love : And the Spirit of Nature is that w^hich
influences the outward Man, or fuperior animal
Vehicle, our Senfations and Paffions, and per-'
fuades us to follow our animal Pleaiuies, and
Gratifications of Senfc) which is Animal or

Self-

44 ^ Mijcellaneous

Self-love : This St. Paul exprefles by a Lmv in
his Members fighting againfi the Law of his
Mind, This may be properly called the Devil,
or Old Serpent, the Seducer of Mankind ; from
whence he is called the Prince of the Power of
the Jir^ that is, of our material Vehicle, in
fetting up the Pleafures of Senfe againft ratio-
nal and divine moral Pleafures.

It is probable this Spirit of Nature was the
Devil that tempted our Saviour, when he {hew'd
him all the Kingdoms of this World, and the
Glories of them, that is, the Pleafures of Senfe,
all the animal Pleafares poflible ; which he pro-
mifed him the full Enjoyment of, if he would
fall down and worfliip him, or make thefe his
principal Objed: -, which, in Effect, was to ac-
cept of the animal Pleafures of Senfe, and give
up his Miffion, which was to recall Mankind
from thofc Purfuits, and to enable them to
make divine Love their Objedt, by raifing
Mankind up to rational Enjoyments and Plea-
fures, which were to be eternal -, whilft animal
Pleafures were only temporary, and to be fub-
ordinate to the others : So that the Spirit of
Nature, or Self-love, feems to be that which
rules in the Heart of the Children of Difobe^
dience, and lets itfelf up in Oppofition to the
Spirit of Grace 5 but its Power is limited, and
under the Controul of the Spirit of Grace, or
the Divine Spirit.

The Temptation of our Saviour, I think, will
bear another Interpretation, befides the literal

one:

Metaphyjtcal Efiay. 45

one : His being led into the Wildernefs would
feem to be his being fuffered to feel the Wants,
Cravings, and Infirmities, of his human Na-
ture ; which feem to be the forty Days Faft ;
and his hungering after it, leems to be his
Senfe of the Pain, Wants, and Cravings of his
animal Nature : The Tempter is the Spirit of
Nature, tempting his animal Nature, or Appe-
tites, to be fatisfied with God's anfwering their
Cravings, by flopping his Hunger ; and only
to defire God's Affiftance to provide Bread to
fupport his natural Body, without troubling
himfelf to pray for fpiritual Gifts and Graces,
and to preferve his moral Goodnefs ; and thus
he tempted him to give up all other Good, in
cafe his animal Wants, Cravings, and Infirmi-
ties, were removed : But our Saviour ihews,
that Man does not live by Bread alone^ but by
every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth
of God', alluding to what Mofes faid to the
Children of Ifrael, when God fed them with
Manna, Angels Food ; which had a fecret
Meaning, that the true Food of Man was not
that which anfwered the animal Cravings of
his Nature ; but the angelic Food of the Soul
was the Knowlege of moral Truths, and the
Reftitude of the Soul in obeying the Will of
God, the fpiritual Manna ; and Bread which
proceeds out of the Mouth of God, his divine
Knowlege and Love : That was the true Bread
and Food of Mankind, and that was what our
Saviour was fent into the World to rjveal and

I fet

46 A Mifcellamous

fet forth to loft Man, who had deprived him-
felf of that fpiritual Food, by following his
animal Appetites. When the Devil, or Spirit
of Nature, found he could not tempt our Sa-
viour by endeavouring to get him to reft fatif-
fied with anfwering his animal Appetites or
Wants, he then placed him in another Light,
and endeavoured to tempt him by carrying him
into the Holy City, and fetting him on one of
the Pinacles of the Temple : This feems to be
fliewing him the greateft Exaltation of his hu-
man Nature, when in its greateft Perfedlion
and Holinefs, exprelTed by fetting him upon
the Pinacle of the Temple, that, is the higheft
Degree of Holinefs or moral Redtitude human
Nature is capable of; and, when in that Situa-
tion, defires him to fall from thence, if he could,
to try the Veracity and Power of God • telling
him that God had faid, that his Angels fhould
protedt and defend him, and no Harm fhould
come to him, tho' he endeavoured to fall from
that holy fublime Situation, by endeavouring
to give way to the animal Senfations and Plea-
fures ; for God would ftill preferve him, as he
declared by his Angels : But our Saviour again
refifted the Temptation, by fhewing he fhould
run no Rifk ; for he ought not to tempt God
to deprive him of his Proteftion, by wilfully
attempting to debafe his Nature, in hopes that
God would not fuffer him, but interpofe, bvj.
his Angels and miniftring Spirits, to prevent
his receiving Harm by the Attempt : So that

he

Metapyjtcal Eflay. 47

he was to do all in his Power to keep himlelf
up to the Pinacle of Holinefs, and was not to
depend upon God's Mercy, without the Ufe
of his own Endeavours.

After this fecond Attempt of the Devil, or
Spirit of Nature, to thwart the divine Miflion
of our Saviour, his next Attempt was, to attack
and tempt him by the Pleafures of Senfe ; and
then he lays before him all the Grandeur and
Pleafures of this Life, and the Glory of them ;
the Height of animal Felicity in carnal Plea-
fures, and the Soothing of all our animal Paf-
iions and Appetites, under the Simile of fliew-
ing him all the Kingdoms of the Earth ; and
delires him, in Confideration of having fuch
Gratifications as his Senfes could afford him, to
reft content with that, and fall down and wor-
fliip him the Spirit of Nature ; which was to
make that his fupreme Happinefs, and carnal
Pleafures his chief End; give all his Attention
to the outward Man, the animal Nature -, and
give up the divine Life, the moral Attributes of
the Deity implanted in the inward Man ; and
thus his Miflion to loft Man would have no
Effedl : This our Saviour again refifts, and
fhews, that no Attendance, Refpe6t, or Wor-
fhip, is due, but to God, and his divine moral
Attributes ; and that all our carnal Appetites
and Pleafures muft give way, and be fubfer-
vient, to them : So that the Devil finding no
way to gain upon the animal Nature of our
Saviour, he quit him -, and, after his withftand-

ing

48 A Mifcellaneoui

ing all Temptations, God fent his Angels to
flrengthen our Saviour's Soul.

It is from the Univerlal Spirit, which guides
and dired:s the Motions of all the Globes in
our vifible World, by Gravity, ^c. that we
can form any probable Account of the Marks
or Signatures of Children in the Womb, from
the Imagination of the Mother ; for the plaftic
Power in the Fcetus being within the plaftic
Power of the Mother, and being adted upon
by the fame Spirit of Nature, a ftrong and
impulfive Imagination of the Mother, by a
concurring Adion in the fame plaftic Spirit in
the Fcetus^ affedts the tender and increafing
Parts of the Fcetus^ and, like an impulfive Sig-
nature, leaves the Impreflion behind. Sym-
pathies, Antipathies, and our Paflions, have
their Origin from this plaftic Power ; over
which our Wills have fmall Influence : But
tho' our Reafon may in time get the better of
our Paflions, or regulate them, yet they often
hurry away our Wills, without attending to
Reafon, or giving any time for Reflection.
Some flight Contingency will often hurry us
into Paflions, and make us capable of A<5lions,
which, at other times, when cool, and adling
by Reafon, we fhould be incapable of doing j
as, in Surprizes of Fire, fome have carried away
Weights, which they could not move vvhen
their Pafljon was over.

CHAP.

Metaphyfical ElTay. 49

CHAP. V.

Vpon the different Powers inherent in the Jirjt
Principles of corporeal Beings ; with the Pro-
bability that 7710ft of the7n are feminal or vital ^
a7id are capable of having their Forms altered^
and their Powers increafed or dimi7iifhed y
That 7na7iy of them t7iay become confcious, and
agaiJi b'e deprived of their Confcioufnefs and
Senfations 5 confequently^ that moft of theni
are fpii'itual Monads, Upon this Principle
our Souls have exified from the firjl Fo'nna-
tion of Bei?igs, a7id 7nay have been^ or co7i^
fcious^ or dor?7ia?2t^ ii7itil this time^ or alter-
nately fo,

X^TOtwithftanding this univerfal Spirit of
j^^ Nature, or the pkftic Power which
obliges corporeal Beings to fabmit to the ePea-
blifhed Rules and Laws we obferve in the niun-^
dane Syftem ; yet I cannot but think, that
many of the firft Principles of corporeal Beings,
at their Creation by the Almighty Being, may
have had fome Powers created witii them,
which may make them adlive ; and that they
are all indivifible or indifcerpible, and have not
indefinite difcerpible Parts : That they may
have a Conatus to expand themfelves in Space,,
as we find the Germina of all Plants and Ani-

E mals

50 A Mifcellaneous

mals have : In fhort, that they may have fper-
matic and vital Pov^ers ; and that many Par-
ticles of inanimate Matter may have a Power,
feme time or other in Eternity, of obtaining
fenfitive Enjoyments; and afterv^ards, by Se-
paration from their Vehicles or Machines, or
by their not being properly filled or inflated,
they may again be deprived of Thought and
Memory, and lie dormant in inanimate Mat-
ter, w^hich is next to Annihilation ; yet ftill
may be ferviceable in carrying on the Defigns
of the Almighty Being : And this feems agree-
able to St. Paiil\ Reafoning of God's Power
over his Creatures, as a Potter of his Veflels,
to make fome for Honour^ and fome for Dif
honour : For if at any time in Eternity we be-
come confcious, it is no matter whether we
are immediately created confcious, or have had
a Being for an indefinite Number of Ages,
without Thought or Senfation ; yet ftill affift-
ing in the Frame of vifible or corporeal Beings.

Nor may it be inconfiftent with the Juftice
and Wifdom of God, to deprive fpiritual con-
fcious Beings, who have misbehaved towards
him, of their fpiritual Life or Confcioufnefs,
and to confine their Extenfion ; and fo fon
many Ages make them fubfervient to his
Work of Providence, and adt as Particles of
corporeal Beings. Tho' this may feem fur-
prifingly odd to our Conception at firft, to
think that each of the innumerable Particles of
Light may have a Power of bemg further ex-
tended

Metaphyftcal Eflay. 51

tended in Space, and of fome time or other
being made confcious, and having fenfual En-
joyments ; yet, if we confider how fmall a
Part of infinite Space is filled with thofe Par^
tides, and that even that vaft Body the Sun,
that has emitted, for io many Ages, each Mo-
ment, fo many Rays of Light, yet is but a lu-
cid Point, when compared to the unbounded
iEther and Heavens that furround it ; he will
not be furprifed, in fuch an unlimited Space,
that every Atom or Particle of Light might, in
fome Point of Eternity, become animated, and
.have fpiritual and fenfitive Enjoyments com-
municated to them, unlefs the whole sethereal
Fluid thro' infinite Space be intirely made up
of Light : Nor would it be Lnjuftice in the
Divine Being, in cafe they never ihould, no
more than if he had never brought them into
Being at all : Yet ftill it feems more agreeable
.to the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God, in cafe
thefe Particles of corporeal Beings are of an a<ftlve
fpiritual Nature, and have been formed fo far
capable of Motion and Extenfion, as to put on
new Forms,^ that they might, in fome Point of
Time, be made capable of Senfations, and be-
come confcious.

If we confider the Gradations of Being,^ from
the moft angelic Forms of intelledual Beings to
the moft minute Particles of Matter, we may
obferve how clofe the Links of the Chain are,
from one Extreme to the other, without any
Chafm in Nature. We mav further obferve,

E 2 ' th&t

52 J MifceUa?teot4s

that the Motion of the Particles of Light and
Heat, with a proper Mixture of nitrous and
aqueous Particles, alters the Form, I may fay,
ot all corporeal Beings, by Fermentation, Cor-
rofion, (o?r. which we often call Putrefaction :
For what are the Fermentation of Liquids, or the
Diffolution of the denfeft Metals, even of Gold
in Aqua-regia, but thefe Particles altering their
Situation and Figure, and being made capable
of fliooting themfelves out into new Forms,
and putting on new Appearances in Nature ?
We find that even Gold will, by a long Con-
tinuance in an intenfe Heat, lofe of its Weight,
and confequently at lafl: all fly off, and put on
a new Appearance in Nature: Vitrifications,
Diamonds, &c. feem to be no other than Par-
ticles of Light bound up in adamantine Chains,
and, by Rotation, and quick Fridion, will fly
off in lucid Rays. Iron, Copper, 6fr, by the
common Effects of the Acids in the Air, are
diminiflied by Ruft, and lofe their metaUine
Form., and cannot by human Art be reftored,
and made Metals again. The incredible quick
Motion of the Particles of Light, and vibrate-
ing Motion of Heat, feparate the Particles of
all corporeal Beings : The mofl of thefe may
be feminal Forms, or the Seeds not yet united
to the Vehicles of Plants, Animals, &c, which
afterwards, united with proper Salts or Ve-
hicles, and getting into proper Nidus's^ are
capable of putting on new Forms, and of at-
tracting other Particles, which have not pro-
cured

I

Metaphyjical E/Tay. 53

cured a proper Nidus-, and thus force them to
enter into their Pores, or otherwife unite with
them, and inflate and increafe their Form by
their plaftic or plantal Nature. Thus Salts and
Foflils ihoot into their proper Forms : Thus,
in feparating Tills or Clays, I have k^n the
Forms of Shells, that is, the bare Impreffioa
of a Shell, without any Shells having ever
been there; and, in thefe Inilances, it is pro-
bable the plaftic Principle, or feminal Monad^
not having found a proper NiduSy could ad: no
further.

How near to die Shooting of Salts are the
loweil Degrees of Vegetation, fuch as Mold
upon Books, and Moflcs ! And yet each of thefe
have their Seeds much more minute than wx
Citn defcry with our beft GlafTes. All thefe
unfold themfelves, and take in other Particles
to inlarge their Forms. How^ minutely fmall
are the Seed of Puff-Balls ! which do not exceed
the fmalleft Atoms or Particles of Smoke or
V^^our ; yet in thefe, by our beft Glafles, we
fee in the Seed the perfect Form of a young
Puff-Bail. Whether in thefe again wx ought
to conceive Seeds as much fmaller than thofe,
as thefe are to large Puff-Balls, and again
Seeds in thefe, in a progreflive Series, defcend-
ing downwards indefinitely; or whether we
ought to flop there, or one Degree lower, at
Particles no bi^ser than we conceive thofe of
Light are, and fuppofe one of thefe to unite
\Yith a proper Vehicle, and expand itfelf in a

E 5 proper

54 -^ Mifcellaneous

proper Nidus ^ and fo put on that vegetable Form,
I leave to the Confideration of the Judicious ;
but, to my Apprehenfion, the laft Suppofition
feems at leaft as reafonable as the other : For to
me it feems much more difficult to comprehend,
that thefe minute Seeds of PufF- Balls, or other
Vegetables, fhould have within them Seeds, as
much fmaller in proportion to them, as they
are to large Puff-Balls, and fo backward for a
Series of Ages from the Creation of the World,
which have been ftill unfolding themfelves, and
grovi^ing greater, until they have come to the
Growth where we now find them ; than to fup-
pofe the minuteft Particles of Matter to have a
roint of Unity to flop at, which is indivifible,
and without difcerpible Parts ; and that thefe
are either fpiritual Forms, or Vehicles, and have
a Power communicated to them, by our great
Creator, of, fome time or other, inlarging their
Forms, when, by the Application of proper
Particles of Matter, in proper Nidus' Sy they
can exert their plantal Power : And this feems
to be agreeable to the Powers we find in corporeal
Particles, of exciting and increafing Motion,
of attracting fome, and of repelling others.
Thus we find Vegetation is performed by the
A^ion of the Rays of Light and Heat, in a
fluid or moift Bodv ; for Water feems to be
necefkry, as well as that, in the Production of
^11 vegetable and animal Forms : There the fe-
minal Forms have a Power and Liberty to ex-
pand thcnifelvcs, and to receive or rejed: fuch

Particles

Metaphyjtcal Efiay. 55

Particles as are agreeable or difagreeable to them :
For if neither of thefe fliould be the Cafe, then
we muft fuppofe the Works of Creation to be
going on conftantly, and that God Almighty is
daily creating Souls, and feminal Forms, of all
vifible BeingSj as well animal as plantal Souls ;
and that thefe are, at the Death of each Indi-
vidual, again annihilated; which is contraiy
to the Idea we have of the Divine Wifdom :
For how can we fuppofe, that God Almighty
fhould exert his creative Power each Moment,
in every minute Infed: or Fly, which continues
but a Moment in Being, and immediately after
reduce it into nothing ? Or does it feem confiif ent
to Reafon, that our Souls, which animate and
io highly tranfcend our human Vehicle, or Body^
and the feveral material Particles of which it
is compofed, fhould be formed but Yefterday,
and that each Particle of Matter the Body con-
fifts of fhould have been created from the firft
Formation of Beings ? Is it not much more
agreeable to fuppofe the Divine Wifdom to have
at firft created our human Souls, and all femi-
nal Forms \ and that each of thefe, in their
certain Periods of Time, fhould have a con-
fcious Being, and many of them have an Op-
portunity of becoming immortal, or of being
ever afterwards confcious, in cafe they ihould
obey their Maker's Laws ; and that £thers„
upon their Mifbehaviour and Difobedience^
fhould be again remanded into their original
Chains of Darknefs : whilfl fouie mav continue

E 4 confcious

56 A Mifcellaneous

confcious in Mifery, and others be reduced to
a dormant State, as leminal or animal Forms
^re, before they are confcious ?

If this fhould happen to be the State of our
vifible World, we fliould obferve a moft lovely
Harmony in Nature, in a moft beautiful Chain
of Providence, going on by infenfible Grada-
tions of Being, through immenfe Space and
Duration, from the fmallefi: Particle of Matter,
to the mofr fublime angelic Forms • and by
this Scheme Generation may be accounted for,
which otherwife cannot be eafily conceived,
without a conftant Exertion of the Almighty
Power in creating Beings each Moment.

Let us but confider this beautiful Chain of
Beings we obferve, or conceive, in the World ;
and try if we can find a Stop or Chafm, from
the highefl Seraph to the loweft Particle of
Matter : For if we begin at the lower End of
the Chain, and rife by degrees to the angelic
State, we fl:iall find fuch a Gradation of Beings,
and fuch a Capacity of Beings rifing in Enjoy-
ment and Life, as mufl give infinite Pleafurej
and yet we cannot tell where to flop, or
where we can break off.

Thus let us obferve the leaft indivifible
Atom, or Particle, with its Power of Attrac-
tion, Cohefion, Elafticity, &c, and a Power
of Comprefljion and Dilatation, and confc-
quently a Power of putting on difi'erent Forms
in Nature 3 and confider it in its loweft Capaci-
ty, in Stones^ Salts^ Earths, and metalline

Forms,

Metaphyfical Efiay. 57

j; Forms, and obferve what Appearances it puts
l|| on when reduced to a fluid State, by fliooting
into Salts ; and we may obferve in it a Conatus
to vegetate. We may obferve in all Fermen-
tations, which in many Things wc call Cor-
ruption, but rather ought to be called the
Parent of Vegetation, or Generation ; and even
that Erugo we obferve upon Metals ; and tJiere
we flrall find a low Degree of Vegetation,
fomewhat above the fimple Shooting of Salts :
Let us next obfsrve the Mold upon lefs denfe
Bodies, fuch as Books ; and thefe Molds di(-
cover plainly vegetable Forms 3 nay even the
Mold upon Excrements is Vegetation.

The Molles, Fungus's, Corals, &c, come
next in View, and fo by degrees, until we
come to the higheft Peifcftion of Vegetation,
in Trees, Flowers, and Fruit.

Let us next obferve the lowefl: Degree of
animal Life, in Infeds, Fifn, Q$c\ and try if
we can break off the Chain betwixt animal
Life and Vegetation : The fenfitive Plant has
apparently as much Senfe as the Zoophyta^ or
Sea Jellies, and the animal Plants fixed in the
Bottom of the Sea: The late Difcoveries made
on the Polype, a Water-Plant, or Infedt, v/hich
partakes of both Natures fo as not to know
properly to which it moft belongs, having
local Motion, and feeding as Animals, and yet
is propagated and generated from. Buds or Shps ;
each Part, when divided, becoming a pcrfed:
Infeft^ and producing others by Buds which

feparate

58 A Mijcellaneoiis

feparate from it, and become Self-movers ;
this feems intimately to connedt the Links be-
twixt Animals and Plants : Thus, from the
lovveft infenfible Motion in thefe Fifh and In-
fects, we may rife gradually to the more lively
and adlive of the Brute Creation, and obferve
how Perceptions and fenfitive Enjoyments im-
prove, without breaking the Chain ; what
Care, what Solicitude, and what Paffions, pre-
vail in the Brute Creation, until at laft,
what we call Inftind, in them, fliews a lower
Degree of Reafon ; they have, no doubt,
Memory, Refledion, and a leffer Degree of
Reafon; but are not made capable of a Chain
of Thought, and confequently are not account-
able for their Actions.

Let us then proceed to the Human Species^
and obferve in Fools and Madmen how near
they approach to Brutes. In Infancy they are
even lefs capable of exerting Reafon, or of do-
ing any thing for their own Defence. From
thence let us obferve how far the human
Genius can raife its Thoughts and Perceptions,
and make ufe of its intelledual Powers, though
confined to this Globe ; and we may obferve
as near a Link between the befl; and wifeft
Men, and Angels, or fuperior Beings, as there
is between any of the lower Orders of Vege-
tables, Brutes, ^c. We may further conceive
fuperior Orders of Being, inhabiting our Atmo-
fphere, invifible to us, endowed with greater
Capacities, and fuperior Powers 5 and the

farther

Metaphyfical Eflay. 59

farther we pafs from thefe Earths, or material
Globes, into the purer a^thereal Spaces, we
have Reafon to beUeve the fuperior intelligent
Orders of Spirits are endowed with greater Ca-
pacities and Powers, and are capable of more
Enjoyments, and a greater Degree of Glory;
and fo on in a progreffive Series upwards, as
far as Thought can reach, and yet infinitely
fhort of the Divine Being.

At the fame time that we obferve this
beautiful Chain of Beings, from the Nature of
the Beings which furround us, we have no
Reafon to believe that they were all created at
fir ft in the fame Degree and Station, and in
the Enjoyment of fenfitive or rational Life,
which we now obferve many of them in ; but
that fome Beings who may not yet be con-
fcious, may hereafter become fo ; and that Be-
ings already confcious, having Freedom of
Adion, may, by their Behaviour and Obedi-
ence to their Creator's Will, have greater
Faculties and Powers communicated to them,
and be made capable of greater Degrees of
Glory, and be exalted into the higher Station
and Order of Beings ; and others, by Mifbeha-
viour, may lofe their Glory and Happinefs,
and be degraded and confined to lower Orders
of Being, fo far, as even to lofe Reafon and
Thought, and fo be reduced to an inanimate
and dormant State, in the Way we now fee

material Beings around us.

We

6o A Mi/cellaneous

We may eaiily conceive this, from the Ob-
fervatlons we make in the animal and human
Species : Inftances may be frequently given,
where Men of great Capacities and Judgment
have, by old Age and Infirmities, loft their
Memory and Judgment fo far, as fome have
forgot their own Names. In Sleep we retain
very little Senfation, or Perception ; in Swoon-
ings, Convulfions, and Lethargies, though the
Soul ft ill remain in the Body, yet all Percep-
tion is loft, and we are, in a manner, inanimate.
How we are to be after Death, until the Re-
furredtion, may not be eafily determined : It
feems probable to fome, that we may have thin
airy Vehicles, and may retain our Senfations
andConfcioufnefs -, nor may it be at all incon-
(iftent with our eternal Happinefs, to fuppofe
we may be in a dormant State until that time,
as it is probable we have been in it, from the
Creation until our Birth j for as the Time
from the Mofaic Creation until our Birth is
but a Point to Eternity, fo our being in a dor-
mant State for Ages to come, until the Refur-
redtion, and Reftoration of all Things, is no-
thing to Eternity, and is to be confidered in a
glorious Immortality afterwards, no more than
if we had flept a Night. When we confider
the Soul in the Fxtus^ before the Birth, that
it is a living Spirit, capable of Thought, Con-
fcioufnef^, and Refiedion ; and yet at that time
has none, nor perhaps any Perception ; and that
the Soul then has little more than a felf-

moving

Metaphyseal Effay. 6i

moving Power, fuch as Vegetables have, of
expanding and unfolding their Vehicles, until
their Organs are fitted and enlarged, and then
by degrees its Senfations and Faculties appear ;
when we confider, that this vivifying Spirit, or
Principle, has had a Being, and was felf-
moving at the Time of Conception, as well as
afterwards, when it comes to the Birth 3 and
fince, by the Improvement of Glaffes, we now
fee that thefe fpiritual and feminal Forms are
in the Seed of the Male before Coition and
Conception ; we have great Reafon to believe,
that all the Souls of Menr, and of all Animals^
and the feminal Forms of Plants, have been
created from the Beginning, and perhaps long
before the Mofaic Creation. And this feems
agreeable to the Apparatus of all Beings around
us, and more agreeable to the Difpenfations of
Providence 5 for let us conlider the feveral
Ways of cur Souls animating our earthy Ve-
hicles, or human Bodies, that have generally
been thought of; and afterwards obferve which
feems moil confident, and is mod agreeable to
the Difpenfation of an all- wife Providence.

The general Notion that at prefent prevails,
is, that after Conception, when the Body of
the Fo^tm is formed, God Almighty creates a
Soul, and injeds it into the Body, and from
that Moment the Body is animated. But does
this feem confident, that the all-wife, iuil,
and good God, fliould daily exert his Almighty
Power, and create an immaculate and fault-

leis

62 A Mtfcella7ieoia

lefs Soul, of an angelic Nature, and place it id
a corrupt Body, liable to all the Frailties^
Paffions, and Infirmities, we are fubjeft to, in
our Sojournment in this Globe, from the Power
our plaftic Nature has over our rational and fpiri-
tual Soul ; and that thefe fpiritual Beings fliould
be daily liable to offend him, and to be guilty
of Sin, and liable to Death, and future Punifli-
ment, and yet not have natural Powers fuffici-
ent to preferve themfelves from Sin and Punifli-
ment ? Or can we fuppofe our great God fo
far concurring with adulterous and inceftuous
Pollutions, as to exert his Almighty Power
daily, and injed: a Soul into the Foetus
form'd by their Adt of Coition ? This feems in-
ccnfiftent with the divine moral Reditude of
the Deity, and would feem to be a Sand:ion to
their Anions : I muft therefore differ from
thofe who are of this Opinion, fince another
Way may be found more agreeable to the
Ways of Providence.

It does not feem agreeable to Divine Wifdom,
that God Almighty ihould daily, at each Con-
ception, create an animal, and efpecially a
human Soul, and inftil it into the Foetus^
"which by fome Accident becomes immediately
after an Abortion, fo that the Soul by its Cre-
ation has had no animal Enjoyment, and reaped
no Benefit from its Creation on this Globe j
and it would ftill appear more inconfiftent with
the Divine Wifdom and Goodnefs, if it were
made liable to Original Sin, according to our

common

Metaphyfical Effay. 63

common Interpretation of it ; nay, a Creation
in fuch a Situation would feem nugatory, or
appear to be a Weaknefs in the Deity, as if it
were impradicable to create a rational Soul,
without injeding it into a F(^tus in the Won:ib ;
for, fuppoling the Soul continued confcious
from its Creation to the general Refurredlion,
is it not equal to it whether it was from that
Moment it was injeded, or from the firfl:
Creation of Beings ? Or, fliould it be in a dor-
mant State, from the Abortion to the Refur-
redion, might it not have been fo from the
Mofaic Creation, or for a longer Period ? Or if
Souls are only confcious of their own paft Ac-
tions, and have no Communication with ex-
ternal Beings, whilft unembodied, until the
Refurredion, as many imagine, then on what
could fuch a Soul refled, having had no Time
for Thought or Refledion, from its Creation to
its Separation from the Fcetus? Or, if it had Sen-
fations or Communication with external Beings
when unembodied, why might it not have had
the fame, had it been created earlier, without
even entering the human Fcefus'? So that a Cre-
ation of an animal Soul juft to enter a Fcetus^
and inftantly to be removed by Abortion,
would feem nugatory ; and to create it merely
to make it peccant, according to the common
Interpretation of the Adamic Lapfe, would
feem to be cruel and unjuft ; fo that, in what-
ever Light it be taken, it feems more agreeable
to Divine Wifdom, that the Soul (hould be
2 created

64 A Altfcellaneaus

created earlier, at lead as foon, if not fooner
than thole Particles of Matter to which it is
united.

The next Opinion is, that our Souls were
all originally in the firfl Adam 5 and that both
our Spirits and Bodies are all come from him;
and, by throwing off one Tegument or Skin af-
ter another, at each Conception, we at laft ap-
pear in the World in the Condition we are now in :
But this feems to be too much of a Piece with
the Mate rialifts, who may believe our Souls, Hke
Matter in their Conception, divifible infinitely;
for this would confirm their Hypothefis, that
ojLir Souls are material, and infinitely divifible ;
and that there are Souls within Souls, looking
backward^ a'> far as Thought can reach ; for
Myriads of Millions are included in the Vehicle
of one, fince fo many Souls or Animalcules are
thrown off at each Adt of Copulation, as w^e
now obierve by Microfcopes, when in the leaft
DroD of the Semen there are fuch furprifing
Numbers feen. This would alfo confirm their
Opinion, who imagine, that Souls take up no
Room or Place in Space, by being infinitely
fmali ; and may thus, in a manner, be con-
ceived not to be any-where : Whereas, from
the Powers we obferve in ourfelves, and other
fpiritual Beings, we mufl take up Room, and
be extended in Space, fince we ad: in a limited
Part of it.

The laft and moft agreeable Hypothefis, which
feems more confiftent with the Apparatus of all

Things

Melaphyjtcal Effay. 65

Things about us, is, That our Souls have had
a Being long before our Appearance in this Stage
of Life ; that we have had our Being fince the
firlt Creation of all Things, perhaps an inde-
finite Series of Ages before the Mojaic Crea^
lion ; and that as v^e find our Souls immortal
for the time to come, or at leaft in Being,
tho' perhaps in a dorm^ant State, until the Re-
iurrediion, as being indivifible and indifcerpible,
fo our Beings have been from the firft Creation
of the Angelic Orders of Being, when the
Marning Stars fung together^ and all the Sofis
ofGodJhoutedforyoy: That fome of thefe
Beings, particularly human Souls, have been
confcious heretofore, and, by the Freedom of
their Wills, may have erred : They may have
been oerhaps too vain-glorious of their Facul-
ties, and have not given the due Submiflloa
they ought, to the Commands laid upon them
by their Almighty Creator ; and fo may have
lain dormant, in a quiefcent State, from the
Mojdic Creation ; and may thus have been
doom^ to onr earthy Vehicles, as to a State
of Trial and Probation here : And this may be
what is meant in Scripture by the Fall of
Adam, arid the Reconciliation made by our
Bleffed Redeemer, to llrengthen and fupport
us in our Pilgrimage here. This is the Reafon
why we are reprefented, in Holy Writ, as
Strangers feeking our Way home to our native
Country : But had we never been Inhabitants
oi that heavenly Paradife before the Mojdic
F Creation ;

66 A Mifcella77eous

Creation ; or if our Souls were only created at
or after Conception here, or even at the Forma-
tion of Ada7n ; we had no Pretenfions to call
the asthereal Regions our Home, or be faid to
return to it. Nor is it at all inconfiftent, that
we fhould be deprived of the Knowlege or Re-
membrance of what we were before our En-
trance into thefe our earthy Manfions ; fince,
in many Inftances, we forget what daily hap-
pens to us ; and, when dormant, we forget
moft of the Tranfadtions of our Lives : Nay,
our Saviour's Soul, which we allow pre-exifted,
forgot many of his Tranfadtions, and his Know-
lege of Things before, or he could not, from
his Birth, be faid to increafe in Knowlege, as
well as in Stature.

It is alfo confiftent with the Wifdom and
Juftice of God, to deprive us of Life and
Thought for a Series of Ages, and afterwards
to reftore us to what Proportion of Life, Senfa-
tions, and Memory, he pleafes ; and give us
a Capacity of reftoring ourfelves again to his
Favour, by reconciling us to himfelf by his
only Son our Redeemer. This alfo opens that
divine Lock of Providence, and anfwers the
Objedions of fuch as cannot conceive we could
fuffer for the Sins of Adam, our firft Parent,
when we had no Being, or at leaft were not
confcious ; or that God Almighty fhould create
or imprifon an immaculate Soul in a corrupt
Body, liable to daily Tranfgreirions, Pains, and
Difeafes j which, for want of fufficient Helps

and

Metaphyfical Efiay. 67

and Power over its PafTions, is in Danger of
being doom'd to eternal Punifliment. But if
we fuppofe 'we have had a former Being, and
have difobeyed our Creator, and forfeited his
Favour ; then it is highly confident with his
Wifdom and Juftice, to doom us to thefe
earthy Habitations : And it is infinitely good in
him, to allow us a State of Probation here, to
reconcile us again to his Favour. And it is alfo
highly agreeable to Reafon, that our Souls, ac-
cording to the Degree of our former Sins,
fliould ad; here in the Formation of our Bodies,
and may be the Occafion of the Predominancy
of the Paflions of fome againfl all Precept and
Example; and that it is the original Vices of
our Souls, which get the better of us and our
Reafon here \ and which often may be the Oc-
cafion of the Infirmities of our Bodies, which
often accompany us from our Cradles to our
Graves.

This pre-exiftent State is alfo agreeable to
feveral Texts of Holy Writ, and to the Opi-
nion of the Learned among the '"jcws ; particu-
larly jfo^ xxxviii. 21. where God, expofiulate-
ing with "Job about his Knowlege of Things at
the Creation, fiiys, Knoiiiejl thou it becaiife time
wajt then born^ or becaufe the Number of thy
Days is great ? And in the viiith of the Wif-
dom oi Solomon^ 19th and 20th, Solomon is in-
troduced faying, For I was a witty Child, and
had a good Spirit ; yea, rather being goody I
came into a Body undefiled. Nor did our Sa-

F a viour

68 A Mifcellafuous

viour contradidl or blame the Jews^ when they
asked him, whether it vv^as the bhnd Man, or
his Father, that had finned, which had occa-
fioned his being born bhnd -, fo that he did not
difcountenance the Opinion of Pre-exiftence.

Thus then, from the former Peccancy of
the Soul, Ambition, Luft, Anger, Malice, En-
vy, Covetoufnefs, &c, may be the Leaders of
the Soul in this State ; and, according to the
Predominancy of thefe, may the Organs of
the Body be framed ; for the Paffions of the
Soul are often read in the Features and Form of
the Perfon : From hence proceeds Phyfiognomy.
And thus the Meaning of the Fall of Adam^
which was concealed from the Vulgar by Mo-
fes under a Veil, as being not neceflfary for them
to know, may be made confident with the
higheft Notions of the Wifdom and Jufl:ice of
God : And the driving Ada?n and Eve out of
Paradife, and giving them Coats of Skins to
hide their Nakednefs, was no more than the
confining the Souls of lapfed Mankind to thefe
our earthy Bodies, or taking Flefh upon us,
and confining us to this Globe : And the hiding
our Nakednefs, was the concealing our former
State from us ; for we had been inexpreflibly
more miferable, if we had retained the Me-
mory of our former Glory, and paft Adtions ;
and probably could not have gone thro' our
State of Probation here.

Thus God Almighty, before or at the time
of the Mofaic Creation, depriv'd our Souls of

their

Metaphyseal Effay. 69

their former Confcioufnefs and Glory ^ and con-
fined our Souls, and all other animal and plan-
tal Souls, or feminal Forms, to this and other
Globes around us, and left our Souls in a quief-
cent or dormant State ; and has in time allow'd
thefe Souls, or feminal Forms, to vegetate and
inflate fenfitive Beings ; and in due time, by
Generation, to become confcious ; and, by ex-
panding themfelves in proper Nidus's^ to ani-
mate and command human Bodies : Nor is the
Continuance of this dormant State of the Soul,
from the Creation until this time, any more
than a Moment in Eternity ; nor is it more
than as a momentary Sleep to the Soul. And
thus may be interpreted that deep Sleep which
fell upon Adam^ or the Souls of Men, upon
the Formation of Kve^ the plaftic Nature, or
the Bodies of Men, which may properly be
called the Mother of Mankind in this State ; as
Adam^ the Father, is the adlive generating
Principle the Soul.

I have already obferved, that the Beings of
Men and Angels coniift of three Natures and
Powers ; "vix. The fupreme Intelligence of
Thought, Refle(ftion, Reafon, Memory, &c.
The Second, the animal fenfitive Being, by
which that Principle perceives, and unites with,
the fenfitive World : This makes us focial, by
a Communication of Ideas and Thoughts with
other Beings around us : And the Third, our
vegetative plaftic Nature, which makes us oc-
cupy a certain Proportion of Space, and gives

F 3 us

yo A Mifcellaneous

us a vifible Form in this World ; which ads
and vegetates without our Knowlege, or our
having any confiderable Power over it : In this
are feated our Paffions, which often get the
better of our Reafon, or intelledual Being. In
this Divifion of our Nature, the confcious, re-
flecling, reafoning Part, the Con tern plator of
the Divine Being, may be called the Male, or
Adam 'y and the focial Part, with the Seat of
the Paflions, and vegetating plaftic Nature,
may be called 'Eve^ or the Female: From
whence Woman is called the weaker Veffel :
And hence is the Allegory of the Serpent's firft
tempting Eve^ that is, the Paflions and plaftic
Nature of the human Soul, which was the
weaker Part to be attacked ; which, once giving
way, got the better of the rational Faculties of
the Soul : For there was no way, by attacking
the rational IntelHgence immediately, to get
the Soul to difobey the Will of God, but by
gaining the Paffions to furprife Reafon j and
then the focial Part, which connects our intel-
ligent Faculties to vifible Beings around us,
joining with our Paffions, Adam^ or our intelli-
gent Faculty, gave way to the focial and paf-
fionate plaftic Nature, and thought it better to
fm and die with them, to enjoy the focial and
plaftic Nature, than to live in Contemplation
of the Divine Bein?, without a Communica-
tion with other created Beings ; by which
means our whole Nature became peccant, and
was drove out of Paradife ; and we have been

fince

Metaphyjtcal Effay. 71

fince confined to this Globe, our earthy Prifon,
until the Reftoration of all things.

This Hypothefis feems to me agreeable to
the Wifdom and Juftice of God, and is alfo more
agreeable to the Apparatus of the mundane
Syilem which we obferve around us ^ and feems
as intelligible as either of the other. Upon this
Hypothefis the Nature of Generation, and the
Propagation of Animals and Plants, may be
eafily explained : For if we fuppofe all the
Souls, or feminal Forms, of Men, Brutes, Ve-
getables, Foffils, ^c. to be difperfed thro* all
the Atoms of Matter, and thro' the a2thereal
and aereal Fluid in our Atmofphere, conftitute-
ing Part of thefe Fluids ; or perhaps be in Con-
tad, and cohere to fome of thefe very Atoms,
ov Primums of Matter, we obferve in the World
around us -, retaining their feveral Powers of
Attraction, Repulfion, Elafticity, &c, with a
Power of beginning, increafing, or altering
Motion, and confequently of uniting them-
felves to others in different Forms : That fuch
of thefe as we call Particles of Light, envelop'd
with a Vehicle, are feminal Forms ; and, when
in a proper Fluid, thefe enter fuperior proper
Vehicles ; and, by their Motion in a proper
Fluid, they find convenient Nidus's to expand
themfelves, and receive Nourilhment ; which
is no more than the Attradtion of proper Par-
ticles to inflate their Vehicle or Form. Thus
each fpiritual Form expands itfelf, and inlarges
its Figure, and lb vegetates -, which is the fame

F 4 Power

7 2 A Mifcellaneous

Power in Animals and Plants : For by our
Glaffes, in all Fermentations occafioned by
fleeping any Vegetable, or other fermenting
Menflruum^ Millions of Animalcules may be
obferved, which have each a fpontaneous Mo-
tion ; and may be all conceived to be feminal
or plantal Forms, w4iich, by getting into pro-
per Nidus's, may be perhaps afterwards ani-
mated : For we find, in Spring, after the Fer-
mentations occafioned by the nitrous Cold in
Winter, when there is a due Proportion of
Heat andMoifture, all Nature feems to quicken :
The feminal Forms of all Vegetables expand
and form themfelves ; and, in many of thefe,
each Bud is pregnant with Seeds of their own
Species. What an infinite Num.ber of thefe
Animalcules are draw^n up in the Tubes and
Canals of all Plants -, and what an infinite
Number of minute Infefe are generated in the
Leaves and Bads of molt Vegetables, where
they find proper Nidus's to be hatch'd in ! All
thefe Infe(fl:s prey upon one another, the Greater
devouring the Smaller : So that the Animal-
cules in the Vegetable may be Part of the Food
of thofe Infecfts, Birds, and other Animals, that
live upon thefe Vegetables ; and may pafs into
their feminal Veilels, and io, by Copulation
with a Female of their own Species, may find
a proper Nidus to be formed in ; and thefe fe-
minal Forms may put on the Vehicle of that
Species. Thus thefe fpiritual Forms may pafs
from the minuter Species of Infeds, &c. into

Birds,

Metaphyfical Eflay. 73

Birds, Filli, or Land Animals, by being made
Part of their Nourifliment ; and fo pafs into
their feminal Veflels, and, by ahering their
Species, may be capable of higher Degrees of
Life and Senfation : And thus the Souls of the
human Species, being lapfed, and in a dormant
State, without Confcioufnefs or Senfations, may,
as one of thefe Animalcules, have paffed thro'
the Canals or Dud:s of Vegetables, or other
Animals; and thefe, being the Food of Man,
may be convey 'd into his Mafs of Blood with
other Parts of his Food ; and fiich of them as
are capable to animate a human Body, may pafs
into the feminal Veffels of the Man;*^nd thus,
by expanding themfelves in a proper Nidus ^
after Coition with a Female, may the Genera-
tion of Man be performed.

Whether any of thefe Souls have ever ani-
mated any other Species of Being, before they
impregnated a human Fcettis, may be uncer-
tain ; for perhaps they only as Nourifhment
pafs thro* their Canals, and never impregnate
any, until they conflitute their own Species :
And yet I can't conceive, that the Soul of an
Infed:, after it is reduced to its firft Principles,
or again becomes an Animalcule, upon its be-
ing diverted of its Vehicle, after being devour'd
by a greater Animal, might not, as well as
other Animalcules, make its Way thro' the fe-
veral PaiTages into the feminal VeiTels of its
Devourer, and be capable of Life again, if in-
jedled by that Animal into a proper Nidus:

For

74 -^ Mifcellaneous

For if this may be fuppofed, there is an End
put to any Cruelty defigned by Nature, when
the greater Fifh, or Beafts of Prey, Birds, &c»
devour the fmaller, when they might ftill have
a Profpedt of enjoying a higher Degree of Life
and Senfations, by animating Beings who have
higher Senfations and Perceptions : Whereas
all thofe Souls, who have once animated a hu-
man Fcetus^ may be abfolutely freed from their
dormant and peccant State ; and may again
be capable of angelic Enjoyments, if they have
had a State of Probation here, and have not
again rendered themfelves culpable, which
may jufljy involve them in further Degrees of
Punifhment hereafter.

No doubt it was from this Hypothefis the
Tranfmigration of Souls took its Rife, which
was believed by many of the Eaftern Sages,
and had Pythagoras, and the divine PlatOy to
countenance it -, and is ftill the Opinion of many
in the Eaft -, particularly of the Banians and
Brachnans in India, and alfo of the Remains
of the Magi in Perjia : But they inlarged their
Doftrine of Tranfmigration beyond what I
here fuppofe > for they not only imagined the
Souls of Animals in low Life to animate hu-
man Bodies, but alfo that our Souls, after Death,
returned again to the Earth, and animated Brutes
of all Kinds : So that to this Day, in India,
they will purchafe the Life of an Animal, if
they can, left the Soul of their Father or Friend
fhould then animate it : And for the fame

Reafon

Metaphyjical Efiay, 75

Reafon they refrain from killing or feeding
upon Animals. Nor can I think it any way
inconfiftent with the Wifdom of Providence,
that fuch human Souls as have not behaved
well in their State of Probation here, (hould,
at their Death, be made liable to undergo ftill
further States of Punifliment before the general
Judgment ^ and may, as before their Concep-
tion here, be ftill again capable of inflating and
living in other Vehicles, or Bodies of inferior
Orders of Being, as an intermediate Punifh-
ment for their Mifbehaviour in their State of
Probation here.

The ftrongeft Objection to this Hypothefis
I take to be this : That lince there are almofl:
an infinite Number of thefe Animalcules in all
Fermentations, by fteeping Vegetables, or after
Corruption of Animals -, and fince the Numbers
are furprifingly great of thofe that are in the
leaft Drop of the Semen of Animals ; and Mil-
lions are thrown out at each Emiffion of the
Seme?i in Copulation ; and in many Animals not
more than one or two are ufually generated ;
it fhould feem inconfiftent with the Wifdom
of God, that fo few iliould be begotten, or
come into the World, fo as to have animal
Life, and enjoy Pleafures here. As this Ob-
je(flion is chiefly made in relation to our human
Species, what anfwers that, may alfo anfwer it
in relation to other Animals.

We cannot pretend to find out all the Arcana
of Providence, nor the Mazes thro' which it

leads

76 A Mifcellaneom

leads us : And it is equally difficult to anfwer,
what may become of the Souls of fuch Foetus %
as are never born, but mifcarry in the Womb ;
and yet the Prefumption is, that there are many
more Abortions than of human Births ; for no
doubt there are many more than the Mother is
feniible of, the Feet us being fo fmall as to oc-
cafion neither Pain, or any Senfe of it, in the
Mother : And of thefe that are born, near
half die before they are two Years old \ and
confequently before they can reafon, or have
any great Enjoyment of animal Pleafures.
Thefe may have been fo little peccant in their
former State, as not to have Occafion for a
State of Probation here ; and confequently
having been punilTied, by lying without En-
joyment in a dormant State ^ by the Redemp-
tion of our Saviour they may be immediately
freed from their earthy Vehicle, and poffibly
from their dormant State, if others are fo at
Death, and to enter into an angelic Life in the
sethereal Regions : ' Nor can we know, but
that all thofe Animalcules or Souls, vv4ien once
they are emitted from the feminal VefTels of a
Man, may be refiored to the Regions of Light
and Joy, as well as thofe Abortions after Gene-
ration in the Female. Nor would it be incon-
fiftent with the Goodnefs and Wifdom of God,
if they fhould return again to the Earth, and
continue in their dormant State until the Re-
furred:ion and Confummation of all things.
The fame Reafoning will hold in relation to all

other

Metaphyseal Eflay. 77

other animal of vegetable Animalcules ; for it
may be confifteilt with the Divine Wifdom, ei-
ther to allov^^ them to be capable of higher En-
joyments, which may be allotted to them here-
after in an eternal Duration , or it may be the
Pleafure of the Almighty to give them a Rota-
tion in the Enjoyment of fuch Pleafures as each
Species of Beings is capable of, or return them
into the quiefcent State they have for many
Ages been in.

As to the almoft infinite Number of fuch
Animalcules, in this or any other earthy Globe,
when each Globe is but as a lucid Point in the
furrounding iEther, or the heavenly Regions
about them ; that almoft infinite Number, to
our Conceptions here, will vanifh, when com-
pared with infinite Space, or the furrounding
iEther ; and will bear a lefs Proportion to it,
than an Unit does to all the human Species that
have been, or fliall be, born in the Earth.

Befides, we may from Reafon, as well as
from Revelation, conceive, that other angelic
Being?, fuperior to the human Species, from
the Freedom of their Will, may have erred,
and rebelled againft the Divine Being, and may
have become peccant ; and by that means
may be chained down to thefe Regions of
Darknefs, to this and the feveral Globes around
us : And this may be the Condition of the
fallen Angels, of Orders and Knowlege fupe-
rior to ours, and confequently tneir PuniHi-
ment may be greater.

The

y8 A Mtfcellaneous

The sethereal Regions are certainly the Re-
gions of Light and Glory, where is no Night
or Darknefs, and is the bleft Abode of the
higher Order of Angels, and other beatified
Spirits ; and the feveral Globes, interfperfed
thro' the immenfe eethereal Space, are but fo
many Prifons, where lapfed Spirits are con-
lined : Thefe are the Regions of Darknefs and
Oblivion, term'd in Scripture outer Dark?iefs,
to which wicked Spirits are confined to an in-
determinate Eternity. In infinite Space, where
there can be no Bounds, no Place can be call'd
outward or inward j and confequently what is
meant is extreme Darknefs, in Oppofition to
the Regions of Light and Perception : So that
when thefe Demons are mentioned in Holy
Writ, to be bou?td with everlajling Chains of
Darknefs^ it may be eafily underftood, if
we conceive them condenfed and confined to
the minuteft Points of Space, fo as to conftitute
the Particles of which Metals, and the den fed
Parts of Matter, are formed ; and that thefe
may undergo feveral Mutations and Changes,
and may be, from their dormant State, fome-
times endow'd with Life and Senfations, and
perhaps to much Confcioufnefs, as to be fen-
fible of Pain and Difappointment, and may
again be remanded to their dormant State -, and
fo may continue for ever, or in a Series of
Rotations, at the Pleafure of the Almighty Be-
ing 'y and, by the Powers of Elaflicity, Cohe-
fion, Attraction, Repulfion, &c, which, with

Metapyftcal Effay, 79

a Power of Motion, and Conatus to extend
themfelves, may be ftill left with them, they
may contribute to the beautiful Syftems around
us, whilft at the fame time they are puniihed
for their Difobedience to the Almighty Being.

Thus, according to the Suns, and planetary-
Orbs, and Comets, interfperfed in Space, may
Hell be fometimes called a Lake of Fire, where
are everlafting Burnings, at other times be
called a Place of utter Darknefs ; and in Comets
are Places of both Extremes, of Light and
Darknefs, Heat and Cold, according as they
approach to, or recede from, the feveral Suns
about which they revolve.

CHAP. VI.

Shewing^ from the foregoing Hypofhejis, how
good or bad Angels, or Demons^ may govern
our Pajions, or enter mto^pojjefs^ and aiiuate^
our animal Machine ; and the Reafonablenefs
of a RefurreSion of our Soul^ and its Vehicle
or Body, to a future Life^ from a dormant
or quiefcent State in the Grave, from the
time of our Death,

WE may reafonably fuppofe, that there
are alfo Spirits, or Demons, who have
lapfed fo far, as to be thrown down from the
a?thereal Regions into our Atmofphere, and

may

So A Mtfcellaneom

may ftill retain their Reafon and Memory y
whOj having lofl; their former Happinefs, and
knowing themfelves doomed to further Punifh-
ment, at the final Judgment and Confumma^
tion of all Things, from their Envy and
Malice to the human Species, becaufe of their
having a Power or Capacity, in this State of
Probation, of being rellored to their former
Happinefs, continually tempt and feduce them
to difobey the Commandments of God, that
they may be Partakers of their Punifhments*

Thefe Demons, by being Princes of the
Power of the Air, or of our material Vehicles^
iind intimately acquainted with our Adllons
and Motions by furrounding us, and in a man-
ner living among us, not only feduce us, and
entice us to follow our Appetites and Paflions,
inftead of our Reafon, but may alfo enter into
our Bodies, and difpoffefs our Souls, for fome
time, of their Power over the Body, as in De-
moniacs, and fuch as we read of in Holy Writ,
v/hich were poffeiTed with many Devils : This
may not be done folely by guiding and direct-
ing the Paflions in the human Soul, and thus
enticing Man, again ft Reafon, to do many un-
lawful Adts, but may be done by difpoflTefling
the Soul of its Place or Power of actuating the
human Body or Machine, and thus animating
it, and direding the Adions and Words of the
human Body, without the Participation of the
human Soul, or even the Soul's being confcious
of what the Body at that time ads 5 as is.
6 plain

Metaphyjical Effay. 8i

plain from the Pofleffions, in the Time of our
blefled Saviour, when they owned him to be
the Son of God, when they begged not to be
fent into the Abyfs, but to have Leave to enter
into and animate the Herd of Swine ; and
when one, after he was difpoflefled, lay as
dead, his Soul, for fome time, not having re-
covered the Power over the Body : Before I
endeavour to explain the Manner how thefe
airy Demons could enter, and difpoffefs the
Soul of its Fundion in the Body, I will firft
attempt to iliew, how, and from what Place,
the Soul governs and moves the human Ma-
chine, the Body, to which it is united.

The Soul, from its Identity, Confcioufnefs,
and Memory, muft be an Unit indivifible and
indifcerpible j and I have endeavoured to fhew
before, that it hath Extenfion, and is capable
of being dilated and comprefTed, and confe-
quently of occupying, at different times, greater
or fmaller Portions of Space. From the Ob-
fervation of ourfelves in Infancy, before our
Birth, and when grown to Maturity, we have
Reafon to believe, that when the Soul is too
much compreffed, we ceafe to think, or to be
confcious, and confequently have no Memory :
Thus the Soul in the Fcetus^ at Conception, has
no Perceptions -, thefe gradually improve from
our Birth, until we come to Manhood, at
which time the Soul has all its Faculties in
Perfection.

G This

82 A Mifcellaneous

This Soul, or angelic Being, when united
to the Body, as I obferved before, has three
Powers in its Nature : The firft and higheft is
that of Intelligence and Reafon ; the fecond
that of Senfation, by which it becomes focial,
and correfponds with other Beings; and the
third is the plaftic Power, by which it vegetates
and adls, without the Concurrence of the Will
of the intelligent Nature. In this laft or lowefl
Power are feated all the involuntary Motions,
fuch as the Beating of the Heart, Breathing,
&c. which goes on when v/e fleep, tho' we
have partly a Power over it when we wake ^ and
the Caufe of Vegetation, which increafes, and
afterwards nouriflies us, when we come to
Maturity : In this are feated all the Paflions,
the Sympathies and Antipathies, over which
our Reafon has fmall Power ; which often fur-
prife and lead the Body in fpight of our Reafon,
and hurry us into extraordinary Actions :
Thefe feem to have their principal Seat in the
Heart. The Tremors and Horror occaiioned
by Fear, the Blufhing of Shame, the Pangs
and Sighing from Grief and Sorrow, the Rage
from Anger, &c. at once affedt the Motion of
the whole Mafs of Blood, by Palpitations, and ir-
regular Pulfations of the Heart > which by fome
Paflions boils up into a Fever, by others lofes its
Motion, or is much retarded ; as in Tremors
of Fear, in Fainting, and Swooning. The
other Pleafures arifing from the pleaiing Paf-
fions, the Exultations of Joy, the Titillations

which

..1EU.I

Metaphyseal Effay. 83

which occafion Laughter, the Douceurs of
Love, and Pleafures which arife from the Em-
braces of different Sexes, throw the Blood at
once into an agreeable Motion, and frequently
carry ofFReafon, and govern our Wills,

This plaftic Power, in our Nature, has its
Seat in the Heart, which at once gives fuch
fudden Emotions to the Blood and Spirits; and
over thefe Paffions the airy Demons may have
great Power, without entering into, or actua-
ting the human Body : The Seat of the fenfi-
tive Power, by which alfo wx furnirti Ideas to
the intelligent Soul or Nature, by our Senfe?,
of Seeing, Hearing, Gfr. which give us Mate-
rials for Refledlion and Memory, which is alfo
the Centre of Union betwixt our Reafon and
Paffions ; and binds and connefts the thinking
Being to other external Beings around us, and
fo makes us focial, and alfo diredls all the vo-
luntary Motions of the Body ; the principal
Seat of that Power mud be in the Head,
where is the Origin of the Nerves ; there all
the Senfations unite, which are made by the
Motion of external Objects around us, (Iriking
upon the feveral Organs of our animal Ma-
chine : There the Rays of Light, which form
the Images in the Retina of the Eye, are re-
fledted and carried to the common Scn/crium :
There alfo are brought the Vibrations made by
the elaflic Fluid the Air upon the- Tympa?2u?n
of the Ear -, and there alfo Smells and Taftes
are conveyed from the feveral Efluvia of fur-
G 2 rounding

84 A Mifcellaneom

rounding Bodies, which are all Touches or
Motions finely variegated, fo as to give different
Senfations. In this common Se?2/onum is feated
the animal Soul, which like a fkilful Organift,
playing upon the feveral Stops, actuates and
direcflo the Motion of the Body at pleafure, as
long as the animal Machine is in Health and
Vigour : When by Obftrudtions the Body is out
of Order, as in Gout, Rheumatifm, or Palfy,
then the Soul has no Power over thofe Parts
affecfled, until Health be reftored, and thefe
Obftacles removed. This fenfitive Soul muft be
extended, and elaftic, in order to begin and dired:
the Motion of the Nerves, or animal Spirits -,
and fo may be comprefled and dilated, and by
too much x^dion may lofe fomewhat of its
Power, and may require Reft or Sleep to re-
ftore its elaflic Force ; for I cannot think, that
it is the animal Spirits alone, which are in-
creafed by Nourifliment, and are Part of the
animal Machine, that want to be reftored -, but
that even the Soul itfelf wants Time to reftore
its Power, otherwife every Senfe would not
be equally loft in Sleep, but only fuch of them
as had been moft ufed, and wanted a Recruit ;
for if the Soul itfelf did not of itfelf retire from
animating, or ading in the Body, it might
continue its Power over fuch of the Senfes as
had not been much employed : But I appre-
hend, that when the Soul exerts its Power in
moving the Body, it dilates itfelf beyond its
ordinary Bounds, by extending itfelf towards
4 the

Metaphyseal Effay. 85

the Nerves it moves 3 and when it exerts that
Force too long, the lurrounding Fluid, or
Body, prefles upon the Ventricle of the Brain,
wherein is its Seat ; and the Soul, by being too
much preffed, in its Turn, retires into itfelf,
and lofes its Senfations. When this is only done
moderately, Slumbers eniue, and the Soul is
taken up with pleafing incoherent Imagina-
tions, which we call Dreams ; which are occa-
fioned by the different Vibrations, and Degree
and Nature of the Preffure of the Brain upon
the Soul : If it be preffed more flrongly, then
a deep Sleep follows without Dreams, the
fine Vibrations being flopped, which Noifes or
Puflies can fcarce remove : If it be very ftrongly
compreffed, then follow Swoonings, Convul-
lions, Apoplexies, Gfc. and by the flagnating
of the Juices around, even Death itfelf : And
hence it follows, that at Death, or what we
apprehend to be fo, the Soul does not imme-
diately quit its earthy Vehicle ; but may lie
dormant in it, for a confiderable time, with-
out any Senfation, even until the Body is cor-
rupted \ and this we may judge, from fome
who have recovered from Apoplexies, Lethar-
gies, and Coma's, long after all outward
Warmth or Breathing ceafed, by extraordinary
Rubbings, and applying Warmth and Fire out-
wardly, to give Motion to the ftagnated Fluids ;
whereas, if nothing had been done, the Soul
would not have animated the Body again, nor
could we, in fuch a Cafe, precifely tell, when

G 3 the

86 A Mifcellaneotis

the Soul broke thro' its earthy Prifon, ani
took its Flight ; And what confirms my Belief,
that too great a ComprefRon of the Soul in its
Seat in the Brain takes away all Senfation and
Confcioufnefs, is, that the Animalcule that
impregnates the Fcetus has no Senfations until
the Infant is born, when it is increafed fo far,
as to allow fufficient Room in the Ventricle,
for the Soul to expaivd itfelf, and ad; : . We alfo
find, that all our Powers and Faculties increafe
until we are full-grown : That Perions of a
dry Conftitution are more witty and volatile,
from the Souls not being fo much prefled by
Moifture in the Brain ; and if that Drynefs be
too much, or the Ventricle be violently agita-
ted by Heat, Ecilafies, Deliriums, and Mad-
nefs, enfue : If^ on the contrary, it has too
much Moifture, Lethargies, Pal fies, and Apo-
plexies, follow^ : And thus fome have been re-
covered, when apparently dead, in Apoplexies,
by applying a red-hot Iron to the Head, to
raife a Blilier, and draw off that Moifture,
which prefTed upon the Soul in the Ventricle,
and deprived it of Motion and Senfation.

This feems to make it highly probable, that
the Ventricle in the Brain is the chief Seat of
the Soul 3 and that Confcioufnefs, Thought,
Reafon, Reflection, and Mem.ory, are only in
Adl when the Soul has Liberty properly to ex-
pand itfelf 3 and, when it is too much com-
prefl'ed, all Confcioufnefs and Memory ceafes %
fo that the Soul is not a thinking Subftance, or

Being,

Met aphy fecal Eflay. 87

Being, whilft confined to any earthy Vehicle,
but capable of Cogitation, and that according
to the Machine or Vehicle it is united to, and
the Room it takes up in Space; by its Exten-
lion.

From hence it may be probable, that our
Souls after Death do not immediately take their
Flight to Heaven, or the a:ithereal Regions, but
may lie in a dormant State, without being con-
fcious, until the Refurredtion and Reftoration of
all Things 5 for if we had a Being from or
before the Mofaic Creation, and have been in
a dormant or quiefcent State, until our Birth,
why may we not continue fo after Death, until
the Refurredion ? For, to a Perfon reftored to
his Life and Confcioufnefs at the Refurredtion,
it is no more feemingTime loft to him, than if he
had flept but one Night ; for all is but a Point
in eternal Duration ; and a Perfon raifed out
of a Lethargy or Apoplexy, if he had lain a-
Month, would think it but a Moment.

If this Hypothefis feems probable, and the
Soul, by being feated in the Ventricle of the
Brain, at the Origin of the Nerves, plays the
Machine the Body, and, by being too much
comprefled, lofes its Power and Senfc, it may
be eafy to account how the Body may be
poffeffed by aereal Demons, or other fuperior
Powers ; for fuch fpiritual Forms as have airy,
thin Vehicles, may pafs by the Interftices or
Overtures in the human Body, into the Ven-
tricle of the Brain \ and there, by its fuperior
G 4 Power,

88 A Mifcellamous

Power, may comprefs the Soul of the Animal,
whether Man or Brute, as in the Cafe of their
entering into the Swine. The Sou!, by being
thus compreffed, is made fenfelefs, or becomes
dormant -, and the Demon, playing upon the
Nerves, animates the Body, fpeaks and ads as
the human Soul did : And this feems plainly
the Cafe of Demoniacs, who in many Inllances
have done furprifing Things ; for the Demon,
knowing the mechanical Powers of the human
Machine, will enable the Body to perform
Adions, which the human Soul, thro' its
Terrors and Fears, dare not venture upon,
and to fome may appear miraculous. A De-
mon may alfo animate a dead parcafe before it
be corrupted, whilft the Motion of the Blood
may be reftored, as long as the Organs are per-
fed, and the Nerves in a Condition to ad.

The Hypothefis of the Soul's being in a
quiefcent State from Death until the Refur-
redion, is not, I think, inconliflent with Rea-
fon or Revelation ; for the fingle Inftance of
the Thief upon the Crofs, to whom our Sa-
viour faid, This Day you fiall be with me in
Paradife^ upon his acknowleging his Divinity,
is no Precedent, more than the Tranflation of
Enochy or Elias being carried up in a Chariot
to Heaven, are Precedents that we fl:iall not
die. But as the Arguments for this Opinion,
both from Reafon and Revelation, w^ill take
up too much Room here, I refer it to the
Appendix^ where I propofe to confider it more

at

Metaphyfical Effay. 89

at large. However, I think the Dodrlne of
the Refurredion of the Body may be much
eafier accounted for by it : For the intelhgent
fenfitive Soul, being kept dormant by the
Compreflion of the furrounding Bodies at Death^
at the lait Judgment, the Time appointed by
God, being freed and releafed from that Weight,
and being again free, with its plaftic Nature,
to inflate another Body or Machine, or even
the fame, tho' not filled with earthy Particles,
but with a luminous, cethereal, elaftic Fluid,
not liable to Corruption, as our Saviour ap-
peared in at his Transfiguration, and afterwards
at his Afcenfion ; I fay, it may not only enjoy-
all its former Senfations, but alfo be reftored
to the Knowlege and Remembrance of all its
paft Anions ; and then be made liable to
its final Doom of eternal Happinefs, or Mi-
fery. i^nd this Body or Machine, inflated
by a Soul, having the fame Senfations and Paf-
fions, is as much the fame Perfon, and it may
be called the fame Body as much, as before :
For all thefe Particles in our Solids, as well as
Fluids, are now liable to perpetual Repairs and
Changes ; and yet the Body is fl:ill the fame j
for the Body, properly, is only the Stamen^
or Vehicle, which contained and difpofed of
thefe earthy Particles ; and is the fame in the
Fcetus, or in the Animalcule, at Conception,
as when increafed to the utmoft in time of
Manhood : For as the Soul, in its interior Ve-
hicle, is the intelligent percipient Being ; fo

the

go A

the Body, the outward Vehicle, and animal
Machine, feems to be the plaftic Nature, and
Seat of the Paffions, which connects the Soul
to other lurrounding Beings, and makes it fo-
cial : Whilft that continues the fame, it is the
fame Body, whether filled with terreftrial Par-
ticles, or with an aethereal, elaftic, luminous
Fluid. This is not only philofophical, but
agreeable to St. Paid'^ incomparable Account
of the Refurre6tion, wherein he fliews, there
aj^e Bodies celejiial, and Bodies terrejlrial ^ that
there is one Kind of Flep of Fifi^ another of
Birds, &c. which fliews, that the feveral Juices
that inflate the Body or Vehicle are very dif-
ferent, and yet the Body is the fame, with
■whatever Juices it is filled : V^hich is a full
Anfwer to all the vain chimerical Objections
made againft the Refurredlion ; as. That the
human Body may be devoured by Canibals,
and be turned into their Nourifliment, and fo
become Part of their Body; and thus belong
to two Perfons at the Refurredion. It may
as well be objected, that Infants or Abortions
mull be raifed with the Bodies of Infants, or
as fmall as the Foetus \ and that old Men, dy-
ing of a Decay, will appear in the fame wi-
thered decayed Body : But, fince none of the
Juices, nor Solids form^ed from the Juices, are
eifential Parts of the Body, the whole Objecflion
vaniflies at once -, and the Docftrine of the
Refurreftion is confiftent v/ith the moft fub-

lio^e-

Metaphyftcal Effay. 91

lime philofophical Notions, and alfo to the
Reafon of any confiderate thinking Man.

Thus the Body, as it was the Caufe of the
Lapfe of Man in his paradifaical State, and of
all the Pains he fufFers here in his State of Pro-
bation ; fo after the Refurredlion, to thofe who
have behaved well, and improved their Time,
it will be the Caufe of a vaft Increafe of Joy
and Pleafure to eternal Ages : Whilft thofe
who milbehave in this State, fliall be again re-
manded back to their Prifons, and fuffer in the
general Conflagration of this Globe, which is
called the fecond Death \ and, according to the
Enormity of their Crimes, they may, at Inter-
vals, be confcious, and fuffer different Degrees
of Punifhment, or may remain in an inadive
dormant State ; whilft Devils, and fuch as are
fuperlatively wicked, may continue confcious,
and endure perpetual Torments : But who can
live in everlajiing Burnings ? So, perhaps, for
ever may only be an indeterminate Series of
Ages, as it is in moft Places of Scripture to
be underftood.

PHAP,

92 A Mifcellaneous

CHAP. VII.

Wherein the Hypothejts of the Atomical Philofo-
phyy or Creation of fpiritual and material
Monads^ are more at large cortfidered -, with
fome Quaeres tending to clear up the Hypo-^
thefts : Ajid an Attempt to account for At^
traction and Cohefon upon the foregoing Prin-
ciples,

HAVING thus curforily treated of the.
Hypothefis I have advanced, which feems
to agree both with Scripture and Reafon ; by
which it feems probable, that the feveral Par-
ticles of Beings around us are fpermatical and
vital, and not made of mere paffive Matter,
fupported by mechanical Laws ; and that our
Souls have pre-exifted, as well as other Beings,
for an indeterminate Number of Ages ; even
long before the Mofaic Account of the Forma-
tion of this Globe ^ I ihall endeavour to ex-
plain this Hypothefis, and to fhew more at
large, that it is confiftent not only with Rea-
fon, but with the Divine Account of Things in
Holy Writ.

In order to this, I (hall offer fome Poftulates,
and propofe fome ^iceres^ to be thought of,
and to be difcuffed 3 which, if they be thought
probable, fmce the whole Hypothefis is but

con-

Metaphyseal EfTay. 93

conjectural, fomething further may be built
upon them.

Firfl then, all finite, dependent, and created
Beings muft be bounded and limited in Space,
yet occupying and filling a Part of it; and con-
fequently muft have Amplitude and Figure ;
for what is infinitely great or little can have no
Figure : For as what is infinitely great fills all
Space, fo what is infinitely little occupies no Part
of Space, and can have no Figure, nor exift in
Space.

All created finite Beings muft either be ori-
ginally individual indifcerpible Subftances or
Atoms, filling a greater or lefl^er Proportion of
Space, or Beings compounded of fuch Atoms,
united and joined together.

What we call Matter, or Body, feems to be
a Compound of two or more of thefe Atoms,
and not of Particles infinitely divifible ; which
feems liable to great Abfurdities : For a mental
Divifion of fuch Atoms does not give difcer-
pible Parts, more than a mental Divifion of in-
finite Space divides Space, and makes two In-
finites out of one, or feparates the two Halves
fo mentally divided.

Thefe firft-formed Atoms, or Individuals,
out of which the Syftems around us are framed,
may have been formed orginally by God of
different Powers, Capacities, and Amplitudes ;
confequently fome of them may occupy a
greater Place in Space than others : Some may
have been formed fo, as always to retain the

fame

94 -^ Mifcellaneom

fame Figure, and fill an equal Space, whilft
others may have Powers of altering their Figure,
of dilating and contradting themfelves, fo as
uniformly to fill a greater or lefler Part of
Space ; and this by an inherent Power of Self-
motion : Whilft other Particles, or individual
Beings, may have their Figures altered, or be
compreflTed by Impulfe, or dilated by an exte-
rior Force of Beings in Contact with their own
Power, if they have any, fubmitting to the ex-
terior Power or Force.

Thefe Particles, if any fuch there are, which,
by an adamantine Hardnefs, prevent their
Change of Figure, or Capacity of Contraction
and Dilatation,, may be capable of only three
DImenfions, viz. Length, Breadth, and Thick-
nefs, fuch as we attribute to Matter or Body ;
v/hiift the other Particles or Monads, capable
of Contraction and Dilatation, may be con-
ceived to have a fourth Dimenfion, diftincl
from Body, Spiffitude ; by which, as the three
other Dimenfions are leffened, the effential
Spiffitude is increafed 3 and as they are inlarged,
it is leffened : Whereas, in Bodies incapable of
Contraction and Dilatation, if the Length is
fliortened, the Breadth or Thicknefs is in-
creafed ; and if both Length and Breadth be
decreafed, then the Thicknefs mu ft be increafed
in proportion to the other's Decreafe : If there
are Particles perfectly non-elaftic, and inca-
pable of Pre flu re, as Water is fuppofed to be,
then it is only capable of thofe three Dimen-
fions )

Metaphyfical EfTay. 95

fions ; but in all Particles that are elaftic, ef-
fential Spiffitude feems to take place, by which
the three Dimenfions are forced into the fourth ;
which Spiffitude, by its innate Power of Self-
motion, it endeavours to leiTen again, and ex-
pand itfelf ; and fo gives itfelf a new and dif-
ferent Motion, in a different or contrary Di-
redtion.

To this Power, in Spirits, of Contradion
and Dilatation, or its fourth Dimenfion, Spif-
fitude, it is objected, that a Monad, or Being
without component Parts, cannot alter its Form
or Figure; and confequently cannot take up or
fill a larger Sphere, and again re-enter into it-
felf; for that fuppofes component Parts, which,
by changing their Situation in refped: to each
other, upon the altering the Figure of the Mo-
nad, mull: glide by each other ; and confequent-
ly, as thefe, by altering their Situation, recedq
from, or approach to each other, they then be-
come divilible, and of courfe difcerpible.

To this it may be anfwered, That a finite
Spirit, being extended, muft have Figure ; ^d
tho' the intelledual Monad, being moft minute,
may not alter its Form, yet each Intelled may,
by the Deity, be infeparably united to an exte-
rior Vehicle, which is indifcerpible ; and may
not be compact, as a Sphere or Globe, but of
various Figures, as in a Machine, the Figure of
a Man, or other Animal ; that it may be like a
Membrane, full of Cavities or Tubes, which
may be inflated with the aethereal, or any other

grofler

g6 A Mifcelianeotis

groffer Fluid ; that when it is thus properly
filled, it appears extended to the Bulk of its
proper Form, and occupying the utmoll Space
or Sphere of Action appointed for it 5 that,
when it is emptied of the Fluid, it is contract-
ed into its fmalleft Dimenfions, and takes up
little more than a phylical Point in Space -, but
whether in its contrad:ed or dilated State, they
are ftill impenetrable to each other, and indif-
cerpible, tho' they may enter into the Cavities
of each other when dilated : For Self-penetra-
trability, in any other Senfe, may not be eafily
accounted for, without allowing a fubtil fpiri-
tual Fluid, fuch as we apprehend iEther to be,
which equally fills infinite Space, and pervades
probably every thing, being the almighty In-
flrument of the Deity, in which we live, and
move, and have oar Being : This Fluid, there-
fore, muft fill all the Cavities or Tubes of fuch
Vehicle, when by Dilatation it radiates out-
ward, and is expelFd by fuch adtive Being, up-
on its'Contradtion, or re-entering, as it were,
into itfelf, by approaching its own Centre as
much as poffible, or by its being forced toge-
ther by a fuperior Power ; and this may be all
the Self-penetrability it is capable of, which I
here call Spilfitude ; and thus it may be ca-
pable of a furprifmg Contraction or Dilatation,
and may extend irs Figure, fo as to a6t in a very
large Sphere , and the ^ethereal elaftic Fluid,
more elafiic than Light, may affift and add to
its Power and Motion j and, when fully in-
flated,

Metaphyftcal Eflay. 97

flated, it may then become confcious, and have
Senfations of external Beings ; and yet fuch
Being may flill be indifcerpible, being ftill con-
tinuous, tho' it alters its Figure upon its greater
Extenfion, by its many Angles or Curves at
its utmbft Sphere of Adlion: For fhould its
whole Subftance be penetrable by other finite
Beings, without fuch Vacuities upon its Dilata-
tion, then two or more Spirits might adequately
fill or be extended in the fame Portion of Space,
and aft there ; which fcems abfurd in created
limited Beings.

According to my Conception of thefe Beings,
at the time of the Creation, I fhould divide
the original Monads, or indifcerpible Particles,
into three Clafles : Firft, fuch as have a Power
of Self-motion, Self-penetration, or Self-con-
traftion, and Dilatation i by which means, by
moving inwards, and entering into themfelves,
they might contract themfelves into lefs Bounds
perhaps than a Particle of Light, and by their
Power of moving outward again, and dilating
themfelves, they might radiate, and exert a
Power, in a determined Sphere around them,
according to the original Amplitude given to
them by the Deity ; and thefe I call pure
fpiritual Beings,or Intellefts, capable of Thought,
and other intelleftual Powers, tho' perhaps not
always confcious, or enjoying Senfations; and
this Clafs may have either a Subordination of
Powers, Capacities, and Amplitudes, from the
highefl Intelligence or Seraph, to the loweft

H plantal ,

\

98 A Mifcella7mus

plantal Soul, and have their Powers of Self-
motion and Penetration in proportion ; or per-
haps they may have equal Capacities, but may
not have Power of exerting and enjoying them,
but according to the Vehicle to which they are
united ; and thefe Monads are the Beings moft
perfedly elaftic.

The Second Clafs, or Species, are, of fuch
Monads, or indifcerpible Particles, as may be
capable of Contradlion and Dilatation by other
Beings or Particles, but not from any Power
within themfelves : Thefe may be alfb of fpe-
cifically different determined Figures, when
properly inflated and filled, having a vaft Va-
riety of Stops or Organs, whereby Confclouf-
nefs and Senfations may be allowed or prevent-
ed : Thefe may have fuch an Elafticity or
Spring as Air and* Wool have 5 and thefe I
imagine to be the Vehicles of all created fpiri-
tual Beings, from the highefl Orders of Seraphs,
to the loweft animal and feminal Forms of
Plants and Fofiils^ by which, according to their
Stops or Organs, the Spirit united to it has a
Power of Thought, Memory, Senfe, &c, or
may, for want of their having proper Organs,
be deprived of Confcioufnefs and Senfations.

The Third Clafs may be, of fuch Monads
as are abfolutely non-elaftic, if fuch there be
in Nature ; being minute Particles of various
Figures, never to be altered, increafed, or di-
miniflied ; and thefe may be attra(fl:ed and co-
here to the Monads of the Firft and Second
z Clafs,

Metaphyfical Eflay. 99

Clafs, when united together ; or they may, by
Impulfe, be obliged to obey the Laws of the
Spirit of Nature, or the feveral Spirits, in their
feveral Vehicles, throughout the Univerfe ; and
thus may affift in increafing the Habitations and
Bodies of the feveral animal and plantal Souls,
in thefe Orbs of Darknefs ; whilft the Vehicles
of the fuperior Orders of Spirits are filled with
lucid asthereal Particles, and confequently have
higher Degrees of Senfation and Knowlege.

^cere^ Whether the Monads, or Beings of
the Firfl: and Second Clafs, may not make up the
greateft Part of the Syftems of the Univerfe, or
perhaps the Whole ? that is. Whether there be
any indivifible Particles, perfedlly non-elaftic and
paffive, incapable of a Variation of Figure, in the
World ? And whether or not all the Varieties in
Nature, and Phenomena of the feveral Syliems
in the Univerfe, may not be framed of Beings of
theFirft and Second ? For I apprehend, that the
material Beings around us may be made up of
fuch fplritual Forms and Vehicles, not properly
united together, or, where united, not having
obtained a proper Nidus to receive Nourilh-
ment, or Particles to inflate their Vehicle, and
give them a proper Power of Adion : For
thefe, lying in an unadtive and infenfible State,
may be attracted, and become Nouri(l:iment to
an Animal or Plant, which has found a proper
Nidus ^ wherein it may receive its Nourilhment;
and by that means it may become Part of the
Solids which make up the Plant or Animal,

II 2 unijl

lOO A Mifcellaneous

until they are again thrown off, either by th^
Perfpiration or Death of the Animal, or Plant,
after its Corruption : So that, during that In-
terval, they fubmit to the Laws given to them
by the Divine Being, of Attradion, Cohefion,
Gravity, Elafticity, &c.

^cerCy Whether the Beings of the Firft
Clafs are abfolutely without any Vehicle, by
which they are limited to a Figure ? And whe-
ther, without any Vehicle, they can be con-
fcious, or capable of Refledlion within them-
felves ? Or whether they be capable of con-
templating the divine moral Perfections, tho*
they may not be capable of outward Senfations;
and confequently cannot be focial, or commu-
nicate with created Beings ? Or whether there
can be fuch created Beings as pure Noes^ or In-
telligences, without at leaft an interior Vehicle ?
At prcfent I am of Opinion, that unlefs they
have fome inward ^ethereal Vehicle, they are
abfolutely in a State of Silence, and no-ways
confcious ; and, tho' they may have a Power of
Self-penetration, yet they have no Power to com-
municate, or frame Ideas, with any other Beings
around them.

^icercy V/hether fenfitive and focial Life, ^
i\'ell as plantal, proceeds not from the Beings
of the Firft Clafs inflating and filling up the
Machines or Vehicles of the Second, by being
intimately united to them? And whether, af-
ttv that Union, they can become confcious, or
liave Senfations, until fuch Machine or Vehicle,

having

Metaphyseal Eflay. loi

having proper Organs, is properly raifed or
fliled with asthereal or other Particles ; by
which means the Machine, by its proper Or-
gans or Stops, conveys external Objects to the
confcious Intelligence within, for its animad-
verting upon ?

^cercy Whether Particles of Light are not
Beings of the Fir ft Clafs, fpiritual Forms, in-
difcerpible, ad:ive, and vaftly elaftic ; capable
of changing their Form, and extending them-
felves more or lefs in Space -, with a Power of
attracting and repelling, as well as of being at-
tracted or repelled by, other Beings, or Particles,
of what we call Matter ? Whether it be not
alfo from their Elafticity that Light is caufed,
and Colours from the Reflexion, and different
Degrees of Refraftion, of the feveral Rays ?
For each being an adlive Monad, of a fpherical
or elliptic Form, proceeding with a moil rapid
Motion, and ftriking againll a Particle at Reft,
by its being capable of Compreffion, or moving
inwards, it alters its Form upon Contad: -, and,
by its Conatus again to extend itfelf to its
former Figure and Bulk, it gives a new Di-
rection to its Motion, and flies off with almoft
equal Velocity; whilft the other Particle at
Reft, being in Contact, and adhering toother
Particles, is reftored to its former Situation; but
does not fly av/ay, as the Particle of Light, which
was in a rapid Motion : Befides, its repelling
Power might be then vaftly ftroDger than its
attractive Power.

H 3 i^^r^,

10 2 A Mifcellaneous

^lare. Whether this Reflexion or Elaftl-
city of the Rays of Light could poffibly be, if
each Particle of Light, and each minute Par-
ticle of Matter it touched, were made up of
an infinite Number of divifible Parts, fuch as
paffive Matter has been fuppofed to have ?
Whether, if fo, upon Contact, its Motion would
not ceafe, in cafe two Particles met in contrary
Diredtions ? Or what could prevent thofe in-
finite Number of Parts, of which each con-
lifted, from feparating upon the Shock, when
they met ?

If then each Particle of Light is an aftive
indifcerpible Being, capable of Compreflion and
Dilatation, and may have other Powers com-
municated to it, or latent in it, feveral of which
we find it has, as Elafticity, an attraffive and
repelling Power, &c. Why may we not fuppofe
each a fpiritual or feminal Form, at fome time
or other capable of entering a Vehicle or Ma-
chine, of inflating and filling it, and of at-
tracting fuch Particles as are capable of extend-
ing the Machine, and of repelling fuch as are
deftrudlve to it ?

^icere. Whether all inflammable Bodies,
fuch as Oils, Sulphurs, inflammable Spirits,
Bitumen, and even Vitrifications, are not moftly
made up of fuch Particles of Light, attraded
and united to other Particles of Matter ; and
are capable of being difunited and releafed from
them by a proper Application of other Beings,

a 5

Metaphyjical Eflay. 103

as by Fermentations, a proper Application of
Fire, ^c,

^(cere, Whether the minute Particles of
Salts, nitrous, mineral, vegetable, or animal,
are not Particles of the Second Clafs, not elaftic
in fuch a manner as the Particles of Light are ;
but only fpringy, as we find Air is, to fuch a
a Degree, and no further; and may, perhaps,
have no further Degree of Activity, but fuch
as are communicated to them by Particles of
Light, and other adtive Particles, as is very vifible
in Explofions of Gunpov/der, Thunder, &c.
where, by the Kindling of the Sulphur, and
Motion and Ad:ivity of the Rays of Light,
thofe Salts are inflated ; and, by extending their
Form, they repel each other with a moil fur-
prifing Force ? Doth it not then feem probable,
that thefe Particles of Salts may be the Vehicles
or Machines, into which fpiritual and feminal
Forms, fuch as Rays of Light feem to be, may
enter 3 and, when they find a proper Nidus or
Cicatricula to inlarge themfelves in, they may
attrad other Particles which have not found a
proper Nidus ^ and fo raife and fill their Ma-
chines or Vehicles to their utmofl Extent 3 and,
by receiving Nourifliment through the proper
Apertures into their Tubes, they may increafe
their Vehicles or Bodies, fo as to appear in their
feveral fpecifical Figures ? And thus may all
the beautiful Fabrics of Vegetables and Animals
be formed.

H 4 If

I04 A Mifcellamous

If we have Caufe to believe, that Particles
of Light are fpiritual and feminal Forms, eii-
dow'd with a Power of Self-motion and At-
traction, if they meet with Salts or Machines
agreeable to them ; and may alfo attract other
Particles of Matter to raife and extend their
Vehicle, when fix'd in a proper Nidus ; and
alfo have a Power of repelling, or flying from,
fuch Particles as are diffimilar or difagreeable
to their feveral Natures ; and that there may
probably be a clofer Union betwixt Particles of
the Firft and Second Clafs, that is, with Sul-
phurs and Salts, than betwixt Salts and Salts,
&c, and that fome fpiritual Forms, when fix'd
in a Vehicle, may have greater Power than
others ; then we may more eafily account for
Cohefion and Fermentation by this Hypothefis,
than by any other, by fimilar Particles attrad-
ing each other, and uniting with or entering
fuch Vehicles as are agreeable to their Nature,
by an inherent Sympathy ; and, if they meet
again with others more agreeable to their Nar
ture, they quit the Hold of fuch as they were in
Contadt with before, and rufli into Union with
thofe they find more agreeable to them.

By this Hypothefis I fhould endeavour to
account for Cohefion and Fermentation after
this manner : If there can be any Cohefion be-
fore thefe fpiritual Monads enter into Vehicles,
then I mull: fuppofe two or more of them, ra-
diating from their feveral Centers, of eflential
Spifutude, by dilating themfelves from their

Centers

Metaphyseal Eflay. 105

Centers to the Circumference of their Sphere
of A(flion, as far as their feveral Powers ex-
tend : As each fwells outward, their Subftan-
ces meet towards the Circumference of their
Sphere, and mingle or blend thro' each other,
in different Angles or Curves : If their Ori-
ginal Natures are fimilar, which we call Sym-
pathy in Nature, then they approach each other
by moving their feveral Centers towards each
other, and contracting, and more intimately
blending their radiating Spheres, and, by an
intimate Union, endeavour to bring their
Centers together as near as poffible ; and the
more fimilar they are, and the ftronger their
fympathetic Energy, the clofer is their Union,
and confequently their Cohefion flronger, in-
fomuch as fomedmes they will rufh into each
other, as the Magnet and Iron : For the fame
Reafon, if their Natures are diflimilar, which
we call Antipathies in Nature, then, upon
their feveral Centers being brought towards
each other by fome external Power, they
exert their Motion outwards from theii- Cen-
ters, by expanding themfelves ; and, inflead of
blending their radiating Spheres, they, by their
elaflic Force, repel each other ; This we call
their fugitive Power : And thefe different
Powers, in the feveral Mafles of Matter, oc-
cafion different Degrees of Attradion and Co-
hefion, and is the Caufe of all Fermentation,
by fome Particles rulhing into Contad: with
each other, while fome are feparating and fly-
ing from each other. I have already obferved,

that

io6 , A Mifcellaneom

that Particles of Light are the moil: adlive of
all Particles, or Atoms ; and I may venture to
call them fpiritual Monads, or adive Beings' j
and they feem to be as much unembodied, or
without Vehicle, as any Spirit can be, having
only an adtive Povi^er of Self-motion and Pene-
tration, and of radiating outwards from its
Centre, fo as to inlarge its Sphere, and occupy
a larger Space. I have alfo obferved, that
there are an almofi infinite Number of fpecifi-
cally diftindl Monads, or Atoms, of the fecond
Clafs, which may be called Vehicles or Ma-^
chines, of Forms, Organs, and Figures, in al-
moft an infinite Variety, which are capable
only of being extended to a determined Size
and Figure, upon being filled or inflated by a
fpiritual Monad. It is then queftionable,
whether the fpiritual Particles of Light, un-
embodied, have any more than an elallic
Pov^^er of Repulfion, or can have Powers of
Attraction and Cohefion, until they enter,
and inflate, in Part at leaft, thefe Vehicle or
Machine- Atoms : And this I think is mofl: pro-
bable ; for, in their feparate State, they are only
capable of Self-penetration and Dilatation,
which makes tliem elaftic, but does not feem
to have any determined Figure 3 but when
once a fpiritual Monad enters the Aperture of
a Machine-Atom, tlie Machine-Atom being
alfo indiicerpible, it is then in its Dilatation
bounded by the Figure of its Vehicle, if it is at
Liberty to expand itfelf by other furrounding

Beings 5

Metaphyseal Effay. 107

Beings; otherwife it can only extend itfelfia
part, being confined by other Particles in Con-
taft witii it, which may be either inflated, or
not, by other fpiritual Monads : And it feems
to be probable, that only when thus united, it
is capable of Attracflion, Cohefion, Magnet-
ifm, &c. for thefe fpiritual Beings expanding
themfelves in their Vehicles, according to their
feveral Forms, appear in Figures of different
Angles and Curves ; and thefe, when in Contad
with each other, by their curved Surfaces run-
ning into each other, and thefe being kept in
their Figures by the Power of the adive
fpiritual Monad within, and alfo being indif-
cerpible, they, like fo many Hooks, link them
together ; and this feems to be the true Caufe
of Cohefion ; and this continues as long as thefe
adive Monads endeavour to extend their Ma-
chines to their utmoft Limits ; but when other
Monads, or Particles of Light, unembodied,
are fet into a violent rapid Motion, which oc-
cafions Heat, they exert their elaftic Force in
Numbers againfl: the embodied Particles ; and
each perhaps having an equal Power, by
forcing their Paffage thro' the embodied Par-
ticles, which cohere together, they overpov/er
them, and oblige them to retire inward, and
feparate their Hold, which is the Caufe of
Fermentation ; which is no more than fepara-
ting thofe embodied Particles by the Entrance
of more unembodied Monads, fet into a vio-
lent Motion by being crouded together : And

thus

io8 A Mifcellaneous

thus the Maffes of Matter which cohere the
ftrongeft, fuch as Gold, cff. are made fluid
by the Entrance of Light, fet into a violent vi-
brating Motion, being made intenfely hot.

^lare. Whether thefe unembodied Particles
have diflferent Pov^^ers, and can force other
fpiritual Monads, already in Vehicles, out from
them, and enter them themfelves ; or whether
a fpiritual Form, once entering a Vehicle, is
confined to that Vehicle, until it goes thro' that
State of Life in the Vehicle, allotted by the
Divine Being ?

The whole iEther feems to be in a manner
filled with thefe fpiritual unembodied Particles,
moftly in a quiefcent State, and only put on
the Appearance of Light, when darted or re-
fleded downwards upon the Rett7ia in the Eye,
from the Sun, or Stars, or other fuperior Be-
ings, or by Reflexion from other Particles of
Matter ; for as they pafs along, otherwife di-
rected, they (hew no Light at all in the ^Ether,
nor would they in our Atmofphere, but from
the Number of Machine-i^toms floating there,
which refled: them downwards towards our
Eyes, before the Sun appears above our Hori.-
zon \ for when they are crouded together in
the Focus of a Burning-glafs, fo as in a Mo-
ment to vitrify the denfefl: Metals, yet, when
viewed fide ways, they iliew no Light, but
what is occafioned from the Atoms in the
Air, which refle<5t a few of them.

Each

Metaphyjical Eflay. 109

Each of thefe fpiritual Forms, when it has
entered a proper Vehicle, is prepared to put on
a new Appearance in the World, as foon as it
can procure a proper Nidus: When that is
found, they feverally put on the beautiful
Forms of Animals, Vegetables, G?^. if not, they
continue confined in Metals, Salts, Clays,
Rocks, Vapours in the Air, Gfr. until fuch time
as, by the various Turns of Providence, they
come into Life ; or perhaps by a too rapid
Motion of Fire they may again be feparated
from fuch Machines as they had entered, or at
leaft be feparated from all other Particles which
had entered into and fupported their Vehicle or
Machine.

Since then fuch feminal Forms as either float
in the Air, or are found upon the Surfaces of
Planets, united with proper Vehicles, have an
Opportunity of getting into proper Nidus's^
and putting on all the beautiful Appearances we
fee in our Globe, among the various Species
of Vegetables ; and the fpiritual Forms entering
animal Vehicles have the Opportunity of enjoy-
ing fenfitive Life here ; and that fuch of them
as are buried a confiderable Depth under the
Surfaces of this Globe, and other Planets, have
no Opportunity of coming into the World of
Life, either animal or plantal ; and that, from
the Analogy of Things, we have great Reafon
to believe, that the fuperior Parts of the feve-
ral Aimofpheres, and the cethereal Regions,
are filled with Beings of higher Orders, and fu-
perior

no A Mifcellaneous

perior Powers and Senfations ; I fhould incline to
believe, that all the feveral Globes, Suns, Planets,
and Comets, are Prilbns, wherein Beings former-
ly endowed with Life in the aethereal Regions^
who from the Freedom of their Wills have
milbehaved, and lapfed, are confined ; and moft
of them reduced to a dormant State, or Death,
except fuch as are animated upon their feveral
Surfaces, until, by the various Turns of Provi-
dence in Eternity, they may again be allowed
to appear in Life ; or may be, perhaps, made
up of many Beings never yet endowed with
Life, but who by their adtive Principle may
live hereafter -, and in the mean time are as a
Suhjlratiim^ or Stage, neceflary to carry on
the Tranfacflions of Providence.

CHAP. VIII.

Where'm is confidered^ ^whether fpiritual and
feminal Forms have J pec ific ally dijlindl Pow-
ers ', or whether all have the jcune^ but are
confined according to the Stops or Organs in
the Species of Vehicle to which they are
united, 'The JnfiinB of Brutes accounted
for from the fame Principle,

F what I have already advanced feems any
way probable, it may be proper to con-
lidcr, whether at the Creation it feems mofl

rational

Metapyfical Eilay. iii

rational to believe, that God Almighty fliould
endow thefe fpiritual Monads with equal or
unequal Powers j that is, whether every Being,
or fpiritual Form, of the Firft Clafs, is capable
of inflating or uniting with fpecifically difliind:
Vehicles or Machines, and to have their
Powers and Capacities, during fuch Union,
confined to the Knowlege or Senfations admit-
ted by the Organs of fuch Machine ; and,
when they enter into the Vehicles of Plants,
lofe all fenfitive Life and Knowlege during
fuch Union ; and yet might have been capable
of Perception and Reafon, had they been uni-
ted to an animal or human Vehicle ; or whether
Beings of the Firll: Clafs are fpecifically diftind:,
and are in due Subordination, and each can
only enjoy Life, when united to a Machine
fitted for its Order and Degree.

There being Difficulties on both Sides of the
Queftion, it may be difficult to anfwer it to
Satisfaction : At firft View, it fcems mofi: pro-
bable, that each fhould be fitted for a Vehicle
of its own Rank and Order- but, upon fecond
Thoughts, better Things, I think, will emerge
from the other, of being capable at different
times of uniting with Machines fpecifically
diftincfl. At firfl it may feem a little difficult
to conceive, that the Soul or feminal Form of
a Vegetable, or Reptile, fliould inflate a human
or angelic Vehicle, and be capable of the higheft
fenfitive and rational Pleafures and Powers ;
but, on the other hand, if thefe feminal Forms

be

1 1 2 A Mtfcellaneous

be really fpiritual, and can beeome confclous
upon being united with a Machine, or Body,
having proper Stops and Organs, and can any
way increafe in their Powers, as the Machine
is improved ; and fo, from having a vegetative
Life, become fenfitive, as their Machine in-
creafes and improves • and thus become confci-
ous of fenfitive Enjoyments, and afterwards, by
further Improvement, of rational ; the firll of
which is fo vifible in the brutal, and the other
in the human Soul > wherein Souls at firft are
merely vegetative, at and after Conception ;
as they rife in Life, at and after Birth, they
come to have fenfitive Enjoyments ; and after-
wards, when the human Body is complete,
they enjoy rational Life and Pleafures ; and
find ftill higher Hopes of much greater Powers
and Enjoyments in their future angelic Vehi-
cles, when the divine Life will be triumphant :
How can we know, whether or not thofe
Souls, which now form Vegetables, might not
have been capable of Senfations, if their Vehi-
cles had proper Organs, and they had inflated
animal Bodies ?

I have formerly obferved, that there are in-
fenfible Gradations betwixt vegetative and fen-
fitive Life, as alfo from fenfitive to rational;
and that the Links of the Chain are fo.clofe
from the low^efl: Fofiil to the fublimeii human
Soul, that in the Series we cannot tell where
to break off the Chain : Thus it is very difficult
to tell, whether ii be originally in the Soul that

the

Metaphyjical Eflay. 113

the Faculties are wanting, or whether it be in
the Machine, or Body, given to it by the Di-
vine Being, who confines it in each to fuch a
jkumber of Stops, like an Organ, beyond
which it cannot range 5 and thus the Divine
Being may, at different timeSj unite it to fpe-
cifically diftincfl Machines, and yet the Soul
be the fame individual Intelligence.

For we may fuppofe a Soul inhabiting an
animal or vegetable Vehicle, to be much the
fame as a Man thrown into a dark Dungeon ;
or into a Prifon, thro* which there may be a
fmall Paflage for Light : In the one Cafe, the
Perfon can have no Knowlege of Light at all 5
in the other, of only fo much as that Paffage
would admit him to fee. In like manner, a
Soul in a vegetable Vehicle admits of no Sen-
fa tions at all ; whilft the fame Soul, if in an
animal Vehicle, would be capable of fuch
Numbers and Degrees of Senfations, as were-,
appointed for fuch a Species of Animal, intd
whofe Vehicle it had entered : And it may be
probable, that the Soul, when it is confined to
one Vehicle, may have no Remembrance of the
Pleafures or Pains it might have enjoyed or
fuffered, when in a former Vehicle, or different
State \ and yet, at the final Diflribution of Re-
wards and Punifhments, the whole Series may
be brought into its View at once, and it may
remember all that happened to it in its feveral
States, and fo be made fully fenfible of the
juft Diftribution of Rewards and Punifliments

I at

114 A Mifcellaneous

at the laft and general Judgment of our blefled
Saviour.

As it is very difficult to determine whether
fpiritual Beings may have been originally form-
ed fit for their feveral Vehicles, in a due Subor-
dination, from the higheft Seraph to the lo weft
fcminal Form, without being capable of filling,
or being united to, any other fpecific Vehicle,
but the one in which it was firft placed ; or
whether the feveral adive, fpiritual Forms,
might have been originally capable of higher or
lower Powers or Pleafures, according to the
feveral fpecific Vehicles to which the Divine Be-
ing might think proper to unite them, according
to the Number of Stops in the feveral Machines,
or Vehicles ; the candid Reader will confider in
which View the Divine Wifdom and Goodnefs
will appear in the ftrongeft Light, and deter-
mine accordingly. If ihe firft, then all the
feminal Forms and Souls, as well plantal as
animal, were originally formed with a View to
this, and the feveral Globes around us ; they
being only fitted to anfwer the Scheme of
Providence on this Stage, and prefent Syftem
of Suns and Planets ; and when this is finifhed
are of no further Ufe, but may be again anni-
Tiilated ; but if the fecond ftiould appear ra-
tional, then fpiritual Beings have had an Ex-
jftcnce long before the Formation of this Sy-
liem > and the Suns and Planets are feverally
formed, as Places of Probation or Punifhment
of Beings, w"ho have afled in a former State,

who

Metaphyjical Effay. 115

who may hereafter be reflored, or be doomed to
farther Punifhment.

If this fhould be the Cafe, then confcious
intelligent Beings, endowed with Freedom of
Will, may be capable of the highefl Rewards
and Punifhments, according to the moral
Red:itude or Turpitude of their Behaviour ;
and that moral Redlitude or Turpitude may,
upon their Death, or Difunion from their Ve-
hicle, be the Occafion of their having their
Powers and Knowlege increafed, or abridged,
in their next Vehicle ^ which, by a fympathetic
Attraction, may unite with Vehicles fuited to
their Nature and Goodnefs : And thus Beings
in a State of Probation may, upon their good
Behaviour, be raifed up to the higher Orders,
and increafe in Futurity, in Power, Goodnefs,
and Knowlege ; whilft others, who mifbehave,
may have their Powers, Faculties, and Pleafures,
abridged, and undergo Puniihments fitted to
the moral Turpitude of their Natures : Thus
lapfed Angels, being forced from Heaven, and
their sethereal Vehicles, to the Orbs in which
we enjoy our animal Life, may be confined in
animal Vehicles, of different Kinds, according
to their Degree of Lapfe ; or be bound up in
Vegetables, and chained to inanimate Matter,
and be left in a State of Silence and Inadivity^
for a time, to be reftored again to Senfations,
according to the Vehicle fitted for their Recep-
tion by the Divine Being. Befides, by this
Hypgthefis, all the Cruelty we apprehend in

I 2 Nature,

ii6 A Mifcellamous

Nature, from the greater and fiercer Animals
devouring the fmaller and more harmlefs, would
be taken away, when it may be expedted, that
the fame Animal may again revive in a Vehicle
of a different or better Clafs than that which it
had before. Befides, if there are Beings fent
down from the aethereal Regions, to undergo
a Series of Punifhments, according to the Enor-
mity of their Lapfe > then fuch Deprivation of
Life, from time to time, can't be called Cruel-
ty, but a proportional Punifhment for their fe-
veral Crimes. Thus there may be a Rotation
among all fpiritual Beings, and a Poffibility of
their falling from the higheft Happinefs to the
lowed Degree of Life and Mifery, and of be-
ing raifed from the lowed Mifery to the higheft
Degree of Life and Happinefs, according to the
moral Redlitude of their Behaviour, in pro-
moting general Goodnefs, by the Ardour of
their Love to God and their Neighbour, in
which fupreme Felicity confifts.

To clear up this Difficulty a little further :
Let us fuppofe a fpiritual Monad of the firft
Clafs, before it is united to any Vehicle, as it
is repeird and flying off with a moft rapid Mo-
tion from different Atoms or Particles it meets
with, and cpnfider, whether, in that State, it
can have aftual Thought, Memory, or Confci-
oufnefs ? Or of what Ufe it could be to it, be-
fore it is united to a Body or Vehicle, properly
inflated and formed with Organs of Senfation,
and a proper Place for a percipient Being to re-

fide

Metaphyseal Eflay. 117

fide in, and lodge its feveral Obfervations and
Refledtions ? If this might be fuppofed, then
every individual indivifible Atom, of what
we call Matter, might have ad:ual Thought
and Perception ; and fo confequently might
every Particle of Light, either in Motion or at
Reft, cohering to other Particles of Matter.
But of what Ufe could Thought or Refleftion
be to a fpiritual Monad, box'd about from one
Point of Space to another, by its Elafticity,
without time to form Obfervations, or make
Refleftions ? Or of what Ufe could Thought
or Refled:ion be, in an abfolute State of Reft,
in Contadl with other Beings, where there
were no Senfations, nor any Variety to form
Obfervations upon, or to compare different
Objedts ? So that it feems more reafonable to
believe, that Confcioufnefs can only be of Ufe,
when the Soul animates, or is united to, a Ve-
hicle properly filled, and in Order : If fo, then
all fpiritual Forms are more confined, or in^
larged, in their Powers and Faculties, accord-
ing to the Vehicle they are united to ; and that
in the almoft infinite Variety of fpecific Ma-
chines, or Bodies, extant in the Univerfe, the
fpiritual Forms are limited, according to the
Stops or Organs in the Machine \ and, if any
fpiritual Form can be difunited from its Vehicle
by any Power in Nature, and inflate any other
Machine, its Powers may be inlarg'd or leffen'd,
according to that Machine with which it i:?
again united 5 confequently the loweft fpiritaal

I 3 Form

ii8 /i Mifcellaneous

Form may be made capable of enjoying the
greateft Happinefs.

But to this it may be objeded, That if ^ach
Vegetable has a Soul that occafions its Vegeta-
tion, as Animals have, which Soul mull be in-
diviiible and indifcerpible ; How comes it, that
many Trees, and other Vegetables, upon being
taken up and divided, each Branch or Twig
fhall take Root, and vegetate by Slips ; which
muft fuppofe that the Soul of each is divifible,
being found in each Part of fuch divided Vege-
table ; which muft quite overturn the Hypo-
thefis ? This indeed would be a material Ob-
jedion; and, if it can't be anfwered without
allowing fuch a Divifion of the vegetable Soul,
it would unhinge the whole Scheme : I there-
fore beg Leave to offer this in Anfwer j That
there may be one Soul to each Vegetable -, but,
as.' they carry their Seeds in themfelves, and
every Bud contains a perfed Vegetable within
it, having the Seed or vegetable Soul of a Plants
with its proper Vehicle, and a Q'catn'cula, ox
Nidus, proper to vegetate in, upon its Separa-
tion from its Mother Plant, the Tubes and
VeiTels, thro' which the Nourifhment is con-
veyed, being ftill open, it is ftill fupported by
the Motion of Heat and Moifture ; which en-
ables the vegetable Soul in the Bud to increafe^
and throw itfelf out into Branches, Bloffoms,
and Fruit, and at the fame time to vegetate
downwards, by throwing out Roots thro' the
Bark to receive Nourifhment.

If

Metaphyjtcal Eflay. 119

If this Method of accounting for it fhould
not be intirely fatisfaftory, I wouli offer a fur-
ther Solution to it 3 which is this : That Ve-
getables are made up of Numbers of fuch Souls,
link'd and chain'd together by the intermediate
Particles that form the Tube, and dead Part of
the Wood or Stalk : That each plantal Soul is
perfed: in its Bud, BlofTom, and Fruit 3 and the
Juice to nourifli the next Bud is conveyed thro'
thofe Tubes which had furnifti'd it with Nou-
rifbment ; and fo on, from Bud to Bud, until
the Plant incrcafes to its greateft Form : So
that every Bud has a plantal Soul, and they
remain thus chain'd to each other, until the
Plant is deftroyed, and the Parts are feparated
by Fire or Fermentation. This Solution feems
the more probable, from the Obfervation of
fome Infeds of the vermicular Kind, which
feem to be made up of feveral In feds chain'd
together : For, upon cutting Worms afunder,
each Part continues alive, until, for want of
Food, the Life and Motion ceafes : And it has
been obferved by Glaffes, that Worms have
had a Chain of Hearts, from .one End to the
other : When they are all properly joined to-
gether, they receive Nourilhment thro' a fmall
capillary Orifice at one End, and it is convey'd,
as in Plants, from one to the other by Tubes j
but, when cut afunder, having no proper Ori-
fice to convey Nourifliment to them, they muft
die in a little time. This Chain of Infefts is
iiioft obfervable in Worms in the. human Body,

I 4 where

I20 A Mifcellaneous

where they arc found of many Yards Length ;
and their feveral Links are plainly difcovered,
by which they are known to be diftindt Rep-
tiles, join d and chain'd together in thS manner
I mention : And, if Reptiles be fo, which have
animal Souls, we have the more Reafon to be-
lieve that Plants may be formed in the fame
manner.

The Obfervations made lately upon the Polype^
a Water-Infecfl, are a Confirmation of this: For
tho' it be plainly an Animal, yet it partakes fo
much of the vegetable Nature or Soul, that,
when cut afunder in feveral Parts, each Part
becomes a perfedl Infe<fl: of that Species ; and
then feeds, and propagates its Species, as before
its Divifion, by the Bud, as it may be faid ;
for Buds, or fmall Tubercules, rife out of fe-
veral Parts of its Body, and, falling off, be-
come perfedt Infefts of that Species : Thefe
Buds, or Embryo's, upon the Parent's being
divided, being lodg d in Miniature in the feve-
ral divided Parts, increafe, but don't feparate
from the Sedion of the Parent Infedt, as it
would have done, if it had continued alive ;
but fpreads itfelf in that divided Part, until it
fills up the Breadth made in the Tube j and fo
appears as a full-grown Infed:, without being
mairtied or difmembered by the Divifion made
in the Parent Infedt. This Plant-Animal, as
it may be called, is of the mofl: fimple Texture,
being only a Tube, or Stomach, clofed below,
having feveral Limbs or Claws round its Mourfi,

Metaphyfical Effay. 121

or Orifice of the Stomach : So that, whethe
be divided lengthways, or tranfverfly, ea^S
Part becomes a perfed: Infed: ; and, if the
Stomach or Tube be turned infide out, it di^
gefts its Food as well as before. This Polypus
brings the animal and plantal Souls fo near to-^
gether, that the Links of the Chain, in thefe
Clafles of Being, are as clofely united between
Vegetables and Animals, as between Salts and
Sulphurs and- Vegetables, or betwixt Reptiles
and Animals of higher Perception or Orders:
Yet we can't conceive, even in this Polypus^
that the animal or fenfitive Soul is difcerpible,
tho' each Side vegetates when cut afunder ; for
each Bud, or generated Polype^ has its dlllindl
vegetable or animal Soul or Principle, by which
it attracSs or feizes other Particles as Food, to
increafe and perfedl its Form or Vehicle : Thus
each fpiritual Monad attracfted to, or cohering
to, the Body of the Polype^ as animal Spirits
do in other more perfect Animals, finding in
every Part of thefe Infeds proper Nidus s to
increafe their Vehicles, which are fo fimple,
add to the Chain, and reftore the PoI)pe to its
former Figure, when cut afunder ; as Wounds
are filled up in Animals, or in Plants, when
the Parts are cut off^, and others applied, as in
grafting or inoculating.

There are alfo other Infedts of the volatile
Kind, Bees, Flies, &c. which, upon Divifion
of their Heads from their Bodies, retain Life,
Qr at leaft Motion, for a confiderable time,

botl^

122 A Mifcellaneous

both in Head and Body ; to which it might
be objedied, that their Souls are alfo divifible :
Bat to this it may be anfwered, That the per-
ceptive Soul, which animated the Infedt, is not
divifible 3 but, upon the Separation of the '
Parts, retires to the Head, where it remains
■until the Brain is diflblved, wherein it lodg'd :
But the Caufe of the involuntary Motion of the
Parts of the Body is this : All the Nerves and
Mufcles in the Body are compofed moftly of
animal Spirits, which are elaftic felf-moving
Particles, of the Firft Clafs perhaps, united to
Vehicles, tho' not yet animated : Whilft the
Machine of the Body, or feveral Members of
it, continue perfecft, and the Fluids are not
quite dried up, thefe animal Spirits, upon their
teing touched, by their Elafticity are fet in
Motion, and exert their felf-moving Power
and Conatus to extend themfelves j and, by that
means, communicate a Motion to the feveral
Parts or Members of the Infed: in which they
are lodg'd : But it is apparent, that there is no
perceptive animal Soul to regulate and dire(5t
the Motion, that being retired to the Head, or
Sen/or iiim ; and lofes its Senfations, as the
Organs of the Infevft are fpoiled or feparated.

This Hypothefis ahb accounts for the Mo-
tion of the Members or Body of Fowl, Beads,
or even of the human Species, upon their be-
ing beheaded ; when the Body has run away,
or bounced up, and ftaggered about for fome
time ^fter the Separation of the Head from it ;

vet

Metafhyjtcal Effay. 123

yet the animal perceptive Soul, which animated
it, was not divided, or divifible, but retired
into itfelf, as the Members were feparated j as
is found after Amputation of Legs or Arms :
For, after they are loft, the Scnfation of Itch-
ing or Pain is found feemingly in the Fingers
or Toes cut ofFj and the Perfon, without re-
fleding, has attempted to rub one Foot with
the other : So that the animal Soul is fi:ill per-
fed:, tho' the Particles which inflated and ex-
tended the Member are feparated from the reft
of the Body, which prevents its extending the
Members, as it did before the Amputation.

But to return to the Powers of the Being of
the Firft Clafs : Let us fuppofe a fpiritual Be-
ing or Form united' to a Metal or Salt ; it can
aft no farther, tho' made duftile or fluid, than
to extend its Vehicle, fo as to cryftallize the
Salts. Let us, inftead of that, fuppofe it united
to a vegetable Machine : In that Situation, hav-
ing no Organs of Senfation, it can only admit
fuch other Particles into its Tubes, as will ex-
tend its Vehicle, uptil it appears in the full
Perfeftion of that Species of Vegetable. If,
inftead of that Vehicle, it had been united to
the fenfitive Plant, or to a Zoopbyton^ which
has fcarce fo much Senfe as the fenfitive Plant;
fuch are the Sea-jellies, and a kind of Animal-
Plant and Shell-fifli fix'd to Rocks in the Sea,
that have no difcernible Motion ; the fpiritual
Form, for what we can obferve, that vivifies
and increafes each, may be of the fame Nature,
8 and

1 24 A Mifcellaneous

and yet fcarce have the Senfation of Touch.
Let us go higher, and fuppofe the fame fpiri-
tual Form united to a Machine of an higher
Nature, better organized, which can move its
Parts, and change Place, as the loweft Clafs of
Reptiles can, and be fenfible of Touch, and
perhaps Tafte : It is not inconfiftent to fuppofe,
that the before -mentioned fpiritual Form,
united to a Metal or Salt,, if it had been united
to iuch reptile Vehicle, ihould have had the
Senfation of Touch and Tafte ; and, by having
proper Mufcles, might have a Power of moving
its Machine, and fo approach to or avoid what
was agreeable or difagreeable to its Touch and
Tafte : It might alfo adt in the fame manner,
if it had been united to aMachine capable of
conveying the higher Senfations of Smelling,
Hearing, and Sight: For fince the interme-
diate Gradations are fo minute, as fcarce to be
diftinguiflied from the loweft Foflil to the
higheft animal Senfation, not knowing where
to break off the Chain, we muft either fuppofe
each fpiritual Form to have been capable of
Powers and Senfations, according to the Organs
in the Machine with which it might have been
from time to time united 3 or we muft fuppofe
almoft an infinite Series of Spirits rifing in gra-
dual Powers, each of which was only capable
of adting upon a fingle Machine in the Series
fitted to its own Power and Capacity ; which
feems to be more inconfiftent, than that any
one mi^ht ad: according to the Organs or Stops

of

Metaphyseal Effay. 125

of whatever Vehicle it might have been united
tO'y and for this further Reafon : Becaufe we
find the fame individual Soul, at different times,
according to the Perfection of the Organs of its
Machine, to have enjoyed more or fewer Sen-
fations, and to have exerted more or lefs Power.
For Inftance : The human or any other animal
Soul in the Fcetus^ in Infancy, in old Age, and
in perfed: Manhood 5 as alfo when it had
wanted fome of the Organs of Senfation, or
had loft any of them, after having enjoy 'd them. ;
in thefe Inftances, the fame Soul enjoys and
adts fo differently, according to the State of thfe
Machine at the time, that you might fuppofe
it as much different from itfelf, or from others
of the fame Species, as a Soul of the higheft
animal Senfations, from one of the loweft, or
even of a vegetable Soul.

In the lower animal Life, the Soul can there-
fore have no Powers or Senfations, but according
to the Organs or Stops in the Machine : Some
have neither Sight, Hearing, or Smell, and per-
haps but very little Tafte or Touch; juft enough
to receive fuch Food as is proper for them ;
nor have they Power to move from Place to
Place, for want of proper Mufcles, Tendons,
^c. Such are the Zoophyta^ and Animal-Plants
in the Sea, which adhere to Stones in the Sea,
or float about in it as the Waters carry them :
Others have a little higher Degree of Feeling,
as well as Tafte, as Shell-fifti, which can move
feveral of their Parts, tho' they can't move out

of

126 ji Mtfcellaneous

of their Place 3 but are fenfibly affefted by
Touch, when wounded or prefled violently by
external Objedts, by their endeavouring to avoid
fuch as are difagreeable to them : Others have
Smell, as well as Feehng and Tafte, without
Sight and Hearing ; and to thefe, as they rile
in Life, is given a Power of moving, and go-
ing in queft of Food, which they find out by
their Smell, and approve of by their Tafte; as
Worms, Caterpillers, £?c. and thefe have a
Titillation of another Kind, to prompt them
to propagate their Species : Others, to thefe
Senfes, have Sight given to them, fuch as Fifh,
6'r. by which they may more eafily come at
their Food and Prey, and avoid their Enemies;
and to thefe ftrong Mufcles are given, to in-
creafe their Motion to find out or avoid what
they like or diflike.

To the higheft of the Brute Creation Hear^
ing is added, they living in an elaftic Fluid,
the Air • and to thefe proper Members and
Mufcles are given, to enable them to move, or
on Earth, or in Air ; and only to fuch is given .
Voice, or a lefiTer Degree of Speech, in pro-
portion to their Inftin6t or Reafon \ by which
means they become more focial, and, in fome
meafure, communicate their Thoughts, fuch
as Complaints, Pleafures, Frights, &c. and, in
their feveral Vociferations, the Divine Being
has, by proper Mufcles, confined the Sounds
they can utter only to fuch as are nece0ary for
them in their feveral fpecific Machines,

If

Metaphyfical Effay. 127

If we look into the Condition of the human
Soul, in its prefent Situation in this Globe, ac-
cording as it is placed in a better prepared Ma-
chine or a worfe, or in its different Periods be-
fore the Body is perfedlly formed, when it is in
its Prime, and afterwards in its Decay ; we fhall
find it fometimes as low as the Soul of a Ve-
getable, or the loweft Species of Animals ; at
another time enjoying the higheft animal Senfa-
tions, and approaching the angelic ; and again,
in its Decay, falling into the brutal ; according
as its Machine is in a better or worfe Frame,
and its Organs or Stops in good or bad Plight.

Let us confider it when it is an Animalcule
in the Seed, and obferve whether its Power is
any greater, or if it has any Senfations, more
than vegetable Animalcules in Pepper-water,
£?c. or any of the vegetable Kind ; nor feems
it to have any Power, but that of Self-motion.
Let us again view it at the time of Conception,
when it is fix*d in its Nidus^ and no more Senfa-
tions will appear than before ; and even then
its Motion is more confined, being fixed in the
Clcatriciila : Perhaps it may have the loweft
Degree of the Senfe of Feeling, but no other
Senfation in its Embryo State": For as it floats
in a Fluid, and no Nourifhment goes in at
Mouth or Nofe, Tafte and Smell cannot then be
communicated to it ; and confequently it can
have no Senfe, but that of Feeling, in the
Womb. It may have Pain and Uneafinefs,
which may occafion its Motion, and irregular

Starlings,

i 2 8 A Mifcellaneous

Startings, in the Womb, at which time it h
fuppofed to quicken ; but can have no other
Senfe but from the Warmth. At its Birth
new Senfations are perceived by it, and the
Senfe of Feehng is vaftly altered by the Cold
and Cloathing, and by the Entrance of Air in-
to the Lungs. But fuppofe an Infant without
the Senfes of Hearing and Sight, either for
want of proper Organs, or by having its Eyes
kept clofe, and its Ears ftopt j or nouriflied in
a dark Cell, whdre no Noife ftiould be made,
and have its Limbs bound down to avoid its
Feeling, and its Nouriiliment be plain warm
Milk, without any Variety of Smells or Taftes,
and be kept fo for feveral Years -, Is it to be
conceived that fuch Perfon, tho' living to
Manhood in that State, fhould be capable of
Reafon or Refledion, in cafe he had no Pain
in that time 5 or have any Memory, except
of taking in his Food ? Or, could he have
fo much Senfe as the lower Clafs of Animals,
who had more Senfations ; or could he be faid
to enjoy Life fo much as thefe ? Afterwards
let other Food, of different Taftes and Odours,
be given to him : Would he not then only be-
gin to refledl at all, and be pleafed with thefe
different Senfations 5 or could he reafon more
upon them than the loweft Clafs of Animals ?
He might indeed remember better fuch Senfa-
tions, from the finer Texture of his Brain ;
but that is ftill owing to the Machine : After
that let him be unbound, and make ufe of his

Hands ;

Metaphyseal Eflay. i2g

Hands; and then the Senfe of Feeling being fo
much perfe<5ler than generally among Brutes,
a greater Degree of Reflecflion would arife
from the Difference of the Obje<fts he handled,
from their Hardnefs, Softnefs, Roughnefs, Cur-
vature, Angles, Gfc. So that the Soul might
difcover itfelf more rational than feveral others
of the animal Kind, which wanted Sight and
Hearing ; but that is ftill owing to the Frame
of the Machine, by having its Touch more
acute, from the Formation of the Nerves and
Mufcles, which he has in greater Number and
Perfe^lion in the human Machine, and from
the finer Texture of the Brain : But thefe Refle-
ctions may be ftill fhort of thofe of Brutes which
have Sight and Hearing : For let fuch an adult
Perfon be conceived without Organs of Senfe,
and, notwithftanding his Brain may be perfect,
can we conceive any Knowlege, without a Mi-
racle, could be communicated to him, but by
his Senfes ; or that he could have any Objefts
to compare or refledt upon ? Or, if his Senfes
were reftored to him, by opening the feveral
Faffages, when he could difcourfe, (hould he
be able to give an Account of any rational
Conceptions during the time he wanted Senfa-
tions ? Surely he could not.

Should we again confider the human Soul,
•after its having obtained the higheft Pitch of
Life, in its Decline, when the Senfes are flat-
ten'd, and Organs untun'd. Sight and Hearing
gone, and the other Senfes going, thro' Age

K and

130 A Mifcellaneous

and Infirmities ; and the Memory loft, from
the Relaxation of the Organs of the Brain ; Is
not the human Soul again, in a manner, re-
turned to its vegetative State, and reduced to a
State worfe than many brutal Souls ? Do not
we obferve in Madmen, where the Senfes are
moft exquifite, and only the Brain difordered
by being too much heated and dry, that, for
want of a Power of comparing Things proper-
ly, all Reafon is loft ? Do not we obferve the
fame, from a Defedl in the Brain, in Fools
and Idiots, which reduces their Capacity below
many of the brutal Species ?

Since then the human Soul is different in its
Powers and Faculties, at different times, ac-
cording to the State of the Body, and may,
whilft united to it, in a manner, be quite de-
prived of Life, Senfe, and Motion ^ and if its
Vehicle be not filled and fupported with proper
Materials, to allow the feveral Organs to play
their Parts, it may be continued for Ages with-
out Senfations and Enjoyments -, and afterwards,
at the Pleafure of the Almighty Being, may
have its Body properly inflated, and be reftored
to Life ; Why may we not believe, that every
acftive, indifcerpible Particle of Light is a Be-
ing capable of fuch Life, and of rational
Powers, when fixed in a proper Machine or
Vehicle ; and that the Divine Being, in an al-
moft infinite Variety, may give fuch Degrees
of Life, as he, in his good Pleafure, thinks

proper.

Metaphyjical Effay. 131

proper, to different Particles, at different times,
in an Eternity of Duration ?

If we fuppofe the Divine Being to have
created, by Emanations from himfelf, an almofl
infinite Number of active fpiritual Forms, and
a proportional Number of Vehicles, or Ma-
chines, capable of giving different Powers and
Senfations to fuch adive Beings as fhould be
properly united to them ; and thefe Machines
of fuch fpecific Variety, as to allow a Gradation
of Powers and Senfations, from the lowefl Follil
to the higheft Animal, or higher, to the
higheft Cherub, or angelic Power ; we can
aflign no Reafon why the Divine Being might
not, in Execution of his Schemes of Provi-
dence, allow or appoint fuch fpiritual Forms
to carry on his divine Appointments, in anima-
ting or inflating the loweft Machines of Foffils,
Vegetables, or Animals ; nor fhould it be
deemed any Hardfhip to allow them no higher
Degree of Life, no more than if they had not
been brought into Being at all : Nor would it
be at all inconfiftent, if fuch fuperior Beings
as were endowed with the higheft Senfations
and Powers, with Freedom of Will, and fo
made accountable for their Adions, if they
fhould mifbehave in their feveral Stations, for
the Divine Being to degrade fuch, and unite
them to a lower Clafs of Vehicles, for their
Crimes ; nay, even to degrade them fo far, as
to take all Senfations from them, and leave
only their Entity to them ; and that for a

K 2 longer

132 A Mifcellaneous

longer or fliorter time, according to the Na-
ture of their Crimes j and yet oblige them,
in that State of Infenfibility, to carry on the
Defigns of Providence in their degraded State 5
by which means all our planetary Orbs may
be now beautified with fuch Variety of fpe-
cifically diftind: Beings, and be enlightened by
the Light of fo many Suns and Stars around us.

The Almighty Being may alfo hereafter, to
fuch Beings as are either in a State of Probation
here, or in a State of Punifhment, give fuch
a Degree of Life as he thinks proper, by
feparating them from their prefent Machines,
and giving them others of different Powers, at
his good Pleafure ; and fuch as behave well
here, may be reftoredto their own, or to a
Body of an higher Order, properly filled with
an asthereal Fluid, in its higheft Perfeftion ;
and thofe who have niifbehaved may be de-
prived of fuch Machines as they have enjoyed,
and have Bodies of a worfe Nature given to them,
and fo be deprived of their Senfations and R^afon,
according to the Pleafure of the Almighty Being.

By this Hypothefis may all the Variety of
Beings around us be eafily accounted for -, and
the feminal Form may be called the Male, and
the Vehicle or Machine the Female ; and their
proper Union the Caufe or Parent of Genera-
tion : Thefe, in Animals, I apprehend to be
united in Semine mafculinOy whilft in the Ani-
malcule there ; but this cannot be formed into a
perfedt Animal, until it is injeded into the Fe-
male,

Metaphyftcal Eflay. 133

male, and finds a proper Situation, or Nidus ^
to fix itfelf in, wherein it can receive proper
Nourifhment. The Cicatricula in the Ova-
rium of the Female has a proper Figure and
Dimenfions fitted to the Animalcule of its
own Species, and will allow all the Organs of
the Machine of that Species to come to their
full Extent and Form, as alfo thofe of a Species
very like them \ as for Inftance, an Afs and a
Mare, by which a Mule is generated, where
the Cicatricula alters a little the Shape of the
Afs, and makes it approach to the Shape of
the Horfe : And thus the Size and Form of
the Cicatricula makes an Alteration, from
time to time, among the feveral Species of
Dogs, Horfes, G?c. by which means Mungrels
are generated ; but when the feveral Species
are very diff^erent in Shape, either a Monfter is
generated, or no Generation happens at all,
becaufe the Shape of the Cicatricula will not
allow the Members of the Male Animalcule to
be properly formed or inlarged : Some Fe-
males may alfo bear Monfters, from a male
Conftrudion of the Cicatricula^ thro' Difeafes
or Obftrudions in the Ovarium ; but when the
Animalcule is injedted into a Female of the
fame Species, in perfedl Health, and pufties its
Way, and fixes itfelf in the Cicatricula^ it
finds there a proper Nourilhment to increafe
and fwell its Vehicle, aqd a proper Warmth
and Moifture to give the Particles Motion ; by
which means it attrads fuch Particles as are

K 3 proper

134 ^ Mifcellaneous

proper for its Increafe ; whether they are Par-
ticles of the Firft or Second Clafs, feminal
Forms, or Vehicles, or both united 3 which
have not found a proper Nidus to be hatched
in ; and they become the Juices, and afterwards
the Solids, of fuch generated Being ^ or if
there be any other Particles befides thefe in
Nature, then all contribute to raife and expand
the animal Machine, and complete the feveral .
Organs and Members, by forming the Bones,
Mufcles, Nerves, &c. until, upon the Death
of the Animal, and Difunion of the Parts, each
Particle again is fet at Liberty ; which happens
after its Corruption, which is no ftiore than a
Separation of the Parts by Fermentation 3 each
Particle Separating from thofe it adhered to
before, and joining with others which are
more fimilar to its Nature ; endeavouring, by
that means, to find a proper Nidus^ in order to
its appearing in the World of Life ; fympa-
thetical Powers, fuch as Attradion, &c. be-
ing originally granted by the Divine Being to
thofe feminal Forms without Thought, Con-
fcioufnefs, or any Senfations, until they appear
in a proper Vehicle, with proper Stops, and
Organs of Senfation.

In this Generation of Animals it feems
reafonable to think, that the Seed-veffels of
each Species are formed with fuch wonderful
Contrivance and Art, that they may only take
in the fpecific Vehicles belonging to each
Species, without admitting any others 3 and

the

Metaphyftcal Eflay, 135

the Particles of Light, or feminal Forms, may
be united to fuch Vehicles either before or
after their Entrance into fuch Seed-vefTels,
they being fo minute and fpiritual as to go
through the fmallefl Paffages of any Animal,
or through the fineft Pores of Matter.

The Inftind;, or leffer Degree of Reafon, in
Brutes, may be eafily accounted for by this
Hypothefis ; for they are limited in their
Powers and Senfations, according to the Num-
ber of Stops in their animal Machine ; fome
having more, and others fewer^ Organs of Sen-
fation, as alfo of Nerves, Mufcles, Gfr. to
enable them to move their feveral Parts, and
excite different Senfations : Thus feveral of the
reptile Kind, and ShelUfifh, feem to have no
kind of Senfation but Touch and Tafte, having
no fuch Organs for Sight, Smelling, and Hear-
ing; having no fuch Stops: But the fame Animal
in higher Life may be capable of higher Percep-
tions ; as for Inftance, the Caterpiller, and
Butterfly ; for, in the Eruca^ no Sight or Hear-
ing can be difcovered in them, or could then
be of Ufe to them ; yet, in this reptile State,
many of them prepare proper Nidus's to pre-
ferve themfelves in, during their Aurelia^ or
qniefcent State, until they appear in the beauti-
ful Forms of Moths and Butterflies, when they
have the higher Senlations of Sight and Hear-
ing : As to the Vociferation of Birds and
Bealts of the fame Species ; and mufical Notes
of Birds being almoll: the fame, in the fame
Species ^ that is intirely owing to the Si7:e,
K 4 Formation^

136 A Mifcellaneous

Formation, Number, and Situation of the
Nerves and Mufcles forming the Voice ; and
are but as fo many Organ-flops, which the
Divine Being has confined each Species to. As
to the Nidification of Birds, and Care, Protec-
tion, and Fondnefs, which the Old fhew to
the Young of Birds and Beafts, until they are
capable of providing for themfelves, the Su-
preme Being has given them grateful and pleaf-
ing Senfations of particular Things : Thus, in
Nidification, one Species has a pleafing Senfa-
tion of Feathers and Down, others of well-
tempered Clay 3 and juft fo much Memory and
Refle(flion is given to them, as is neceffary for
their Prefervation from their feveral Enemies,
and providing, and laying up Provifions, for
their Suftenance, according as it is agreeable to
their Senfations and Nature ; but no greater
Degree of Reafon is given to them than is
neceffary. In that of Incubation, feeding,
and fuckling their Young, the fame Kind of
pleafing Titillations are raifed and allowed to
them, as we find in ourfelves upon the meet-
ing of a beloved or graceful Objedt, which
ftrikes our Imagination and Fancy 5 and that
wears away after a reafonable Time, and is
over by the time the Young are grown up :
When they venture their Lives in Defence of
their Young, yet at other times will fly from
their Enemy, their Paffion of Anger is raifed
beyond their Fear, in order to preferve Ob-
je(5ts that are fo grateful to them. Thus we find

a commoq

Metaphyftcal Eflay. 137

a common Method made ufe of to find a Hen's
Neft, is, to rub her Belly with Nettles; io
that, to get rid of that ungrateful Senfation, by
getting a more pleaiing one, (he runs away to
fit upon her Eggs.

The Caufe of a common Bee's making its
Honeycomb in perfect Hexagons, may be from
its Obfervation of the Texture of its own
Head ; for that black oval horny Part, com-
monly taken for the Eye, is all formed of per-
fect Hexagons, hke the Honeycomb ; and may
be defigned as a Pattern fet before them by the
Divine Being, for them to imitate in making
their Combs.

The Inilindl of Moths and Butterflies, in
their Eruca State, and when transforming
themfelves into their Aurelia^ or dormant State,
is to get rid of uneafy, as well as to procure
grateful Senlations : When, by gratifying their
Tafle, they have increafed their Bodies beyond
what their Skin will with Eafe contain, then,
to get rid of it, they fwell their Rings, where
the Skin is weakefl, till it burfts -, and fo con-
tinue to do to each of the others, until the
Whole drops oft; and the inner Skin, being
more pliant, gives Liberty to the Caterpiller to
increafe : This it repeats twice or thrice before
it enters into its Aiirelia State. When the
Silkworm forms its Ball to lie fafe in during
its quiefcent State, it is, for the fame Reafon,
to get rid of the Silk Gum it is filled with,
which it faftens to the furronnding Twigs, and

after-

138 A Mifcellaneous

afterwards to the Silk itfelf, In a zigzag Way,
until the Whole is drawn out 5 and this may
either be to get rid of an uneafy Senfation
whilft it is filled with it, or by its having a
grateful Senfation all the time it is fpinning and
forming its Ball ; and then that living Egg,
after having made a fafe warm Neft for the
Moth to be hatch'd in, leaving it a fufficient
Quantity of Nourifhment, dies, and leaves the
Moth to increafe, and be form'd in the Aurelia
State, like a Bird in the Egg : For, from fome
late Obfervations by Monfieur Raumur^ it
feems dubious whether it be the fame individual
Being that is the Moth, that was the Caterpiller
in the firft State ; for the Eruca rather feems
to be a living Nidus, in which the other had
its Origin, and from whence it takes its Food
for Increafe ; and whilft the Eruca feeds and
increafes itfelf, it gives Food to the Fcefus
within it : For it is certain, in throwing off its
feveral Skins in its Eruca State, all the crufla-
ceous Parts in its Head and Legs, and fome of
its inward Parts, are thrown off, when it enters
into its Aurelia State ; and nothing is left but
fuch Juices as are fit to nourifh the Butterfly
within, when it becomes an Aurelia, the But-
terfly being all then in a fluid State within the
Aurelia, which receives its Nourishment from
the Juices furrounding it, as the Fcetus^ or Chick,
in the Egg receives it from the White of the
Egg : So that the Caterpiller is to the Butterfly
in Embryo, as the Egg to the Chick y only the

Cater-

Metaphyseal Efiay. 139

Caterpiller is a living Animal, which feeds and
increafes itfelf to give Food to the Butterfly
within it, and has only fo many Organs as are
necelTary to direct it to fuch Food as is proper
for the Fcetiis within, and to provide Materials
for it in its quiefcent State, until the Moth
or Butterfly is grown perfed: to appear in a
higher Degree of Life.

it is unneceflTary to fay any more upon the
Inftinft of Brutes ; for their Stops are limited
by the Almighty Being ; and juil fo many are
allowed to them, in their feveral Degrees and
Stations in Life, as are necefl^ary for the Safety
and Ufe of the Animal in its Station of Being :
Jufl: as an Organ is limited in its Notes by its fe-
veral Stops and Pipes, thus fo many Powers are
given to the feveral Species of Beings around us,
as are neceflary to carry en the beautiful Frame
of the Univerfe, and the Defigns of the Divine
Providence : So that all Nature feems pregnant
of Beings living, or capable of Life, having
ad:ive Powers, all things being made of Beings
indivifible and indifcerpible ; and that there is
no fuch thing as Matter abfolutely paffive, in-
finitely diviflble, or incapable of being re-
duced to an Unity, in the Univerfe.

If it be the fame individual Being in the
Eruca, that afterwards becomes a Butterfly, it
may give us a foint Refemblance of our Death,
and Refurredion from our animal to a more
angelic State, by our throwing oiF our animal
fuperior Vehicle, and appearing in an angelic

asthereai

140 A Mifcellaneous

ethereal Vehicle hereafter, when it becomes
properly filled with an aethereal Fluid : For
its Eruca State is analogous to our groveling
animal State here ; when in its Aurelia^ and
quiefcent State, it is like our dormant State in
the Grave ; and, when it emerges into Life
again, after throwing off its fuperior Vehicle,
with higher Faculties and Powers, cutting the
aereal Fluid, it is analogous to our throwing off
our earthy or animal Vehicle, and appearing in
our heavenly and asthereal Body, and fo afcend-
ing to the aethereal Plains : And it may feem
probable, that, according as the Soul, in its
interior Vehicle,' is filled with divine and moral
Perfeftions from our State of Probation, that
our aethereal Vehicle may be inlarged, and
we may foar the higher in the iEther to the . .
greateft Happinefs ; whilft thofe who have few
or no moral Perfections, may be incapable of
filling their aethereal Vehicle, and may again
fweep the lower Regions of Air, and infernal
Abodes, and be remanded into future Prifons,
and States of Punifliment.

CHAP.

Metaphyseal Effay. 141

CHAP. IX.

Some thoughts upon the Number^ Amplitude^
and 'Duration of dependent Beings : Wherein
is confidered^ from the Analogy of ThingSy
Whether^ as dependent Beings are difpofed in,
or in a manner may be faid to fill^ infinite
Space ^ they may not alfo have been from Eter-
nity^ or at leaji as far back towards it as we
can conceive^ and not only from the Mofaic
Fiat ? Withfome further \tboiights upon the
State of Beings before the Mofaic Creation^
and Formation of the Univerfe^ as it now
appears with Suns, Planets, Comets, &c.

TH E human Soul, in its prefent State,
when feated in the Body, perfectly well
formed, has Powers, Organs, and Senfations, to
contemplate upon all the vifible Beings around
us, which fall within our View ; particularly
all thofe which are inferior to our Nature : So
that we can fee below us a mod beautiful Chain,
clofely link'd together, depending upon each
other, from the leaft and loweft Atom to the
higheft Perfedion of our Species. We have
alfo Powers, by Obfervation, Memory, and
Refleftion, of raifing our Ideas fo far, as to
continue this Chain upwards, raifing the Beau-
ty, Order, and Power of created Beings above

us

142 A Mifcellaneous

us to iminenfe Diftances, as well in Space as in
Perfections ; and, tho' they don*t fall diredly
under our prefent Senfations, or the Powers
we at prefent enjoy, yet, from the Ratio of
Beings to each other, and from Reafon, we
may eafily conceive fuch Beings above us, ob-
ferving us, as we do thofe below us, who ap-
prove or difapprove of our Adions, according
as our Inclinations are good or bad > and fo
intereft themfelves in our Affairs ; and fome
may protedl and guard us, whilft others may
molell and diflurb us, according to their dif-
ferent Paffions and Inclinations. Thus we may
rationally fuppofe our Atmofphere, and the
Atmofpheres of the feveral Planets, fill'd with
Beings of fuperior Orders ; and not only the
Atmofpheres, but all the Fields of ^Ether thro'
the great Expanfe, amongil: all the Fixed Stars,
to abound, or in a manner to be filled, with
Beings of the higheft created Powers and Ca-
pacities, almoft infinite in Number; infomuch
as all the Atoms in our View and Conception,
of material Beings, tho' each as minute as a
Particle of Light, when all put together, are
but as an Atom, or Unit, to the Number and
Amplitude of fuch Beings as fill the Fields of
liquid ^ther, which furround the lucid Points
of the Suns and Planets fufpended in the in-
finite Expanfe of Space.

From the fame Way of reafoning upon the
Katio of Beings to each other, as we conceive
Beings in an indefinite Series, extended and

difperfed

Metaphyjical Effay. 143

difperfed in Space, almoft infinite in Number
and Quantity ; fo how can we imagine, taking
Duration and Eternity under our Confideration,
that dependent Beings have been of no longer
Duration than from the Mofaic Creation, and
Formation of this Globe ? I muft, therefore,
much inlarge my Conception of the Origin of
dependent Beings, and believe that the firft
Formation of Beings was not at the time of the
Mofaic Account, as vulgarly underftood 5 which
I fhall endeavour to confirm from the philofo-
phical Cabala of the Mofaic Hiflory, as ex-
tracted by the incomparable Dr. Henry More^
which I fliall inlarge upon in the next Chap-
ter.

That the Origin of dependent Beings, if not
from Eternity, was as early as we can conceive,
feems probable for thefe Reafons : That tho'
all created Beings were brought into Being by
the Will of the Independent, Infinite, Eternal
Being, and consequently were caufed by his
Will ; yet it may be very difficult to tell v^^hen
they were not : Nor may it be improbable or
falfe to fay, that they were not made out of
Nothing, but may rather be faid to be Emana-
tions from the Divine Being, like Rays of Light
from the Sun, to whom feparate Exiftence,
Confcioufnefs, Gfr. were given 5 and at plea-
fure might be again abforb'd by the Almighty
Being : ^ And thus Succeffions of finite Beings
may be conceived in infinite Space : For fince

the

144 -^ Mifcellamous

the Supreme Being occupies infinite Space, not-
withllanding his Unity, he mufl: be conceived
coextended with, or in Amplitude equal to,
infinite Space ; and confequently be immove-
able, and a perfed: Plemwi in Space. Now
how can a finite Quantity be fuperadded to an
infinite Plenum ? unlefs fi.ich finite Beings
emerge from the Infinite Being, in whom we
live, and move, and have our Being. When
once they are emerg'd, each occupies a deter-
niin'd Proportion of Space ; and being taken
all together, as they are finite in Number and
Quantity, they are capable of Motion, of ap-
proaching to, and receding from each other,
and oi having difiinc^l: Powers and Faculties.
If fo, then, tho' their feparate Exiftences,
Powers, and Capacities, may be conceived to
receive a Beginning, as an Effecfl from a Caufe,
yet, if we take in the moral Attributes of God,
which cannot be feparated from our Idea of a
perfect independent Being, no more than his
Infinitude and Eternity can, fo that his Wif-
dom, Juftice, and, above all, his Goodnefs, is
coextended with his Almighty Power and Am^
plitude ; then, tho' God may be conceived be-
fore his Creatures, as a voluntary Caufe before
the Eflfedt ; yet, taking in his moral Attributes,
it can't be conceived, that there Ihould be a time
wherein God would not communicate hi^ Good-
nefs to dependent Beings : For fliQuia there
have been a Beginning to his Creation of Beings,
or the Emanation of dependent Beings from

hun,

Metaphyjtcal Eflay. 145

kim, commence in Time whenever it could,
there muft have been an Eternity before the
Commencement : Tho' we go back as far as
Thought can reach, yet, where-ever we ftop,
an Eternity is beyond it : And then let us con-^
ceive that Eternity, in which God's moral At-
tributes, as well as his Power^ was inadive, and
that he never had communicated his Goodnefs
to dependent Beings : Nor could his Wifdom,
Juftice, Mercy, or Power, be any ways ex-
erted from Eternity until the Mofaic Fiat was
pronounced, if that was the firfl: Creation ; and
confequently the Divine Being, inftead of be-
ing adiive, good, £f<:. muft have been inadtive,
and wrapt up in Contemplation, without ex-
erting his Power, or any of his moral Attri-
butes, from all Eternity to that time. Whe-
ther this be a Perfection, or an adequate No-
tion of the Divine Being, I leave to the Con-
lideration of others ; but, in the Light I view
it, it would feem to be a Defed, inftead of a
Perfection.

As infinite Space, and eternal Duration, are
above our finite Conceptions, and we can't con-
ceive either adequately, great Difficulties muft
arife whenever they come under our Confider-
ation ; but that does not leflen the Certainty of
either : So, in treating of eternal Creation or
Generation, or of Creation in Tjme, Difficul-
ties muft needs arife on eitf^er'Siicie ; and \\^^ ^,-.-n^y^-
muft adhere to that Side which is liable to the
feweft Objedions \ which I ftiall a little further

L ccnfider.

146 A Mifcellamous

confider, and leave to the Judgment of the
impartial Reader.

An eternal Creation of dependent Beings does
not take from the Perfeftion or Power of the
Divine Being, whilft he is the Caufe, more than
a Creation in Time ; for they can neither be
faid to be independent, nor neceffarily exiftent,
if their Exiftence, tho* eternal, proceed from
his Will. If they are voluntary Emanations
from his Being, individuated, to whom fepa-
rate Powers and Capacities are given, and may
at his Pleafure be abforbed j or if their Powers
and Capacities may be increafed or diminiihed 5
they can in no fort be independent, or neceffa-
rily exiftent, being, both as to their Entity and
Powers, under the Governance and Direffion
of the Almighty Being.

Let us a little further confider an eternal vo-
luntary Emanation bf dependent Beings from
the Deity, and a Creation of dependent Beings
from Nothing in Time ; and obferve which
gives greater Power or Perfection to the Divine
Being. Since the Deity is an Omnipotent,
Eternal, Infinite, Adlive Being, moft perfeftly
wife, good, and juft, we muft conceive, that
all his Attributes were in Adt from Eternity ;
and confequently, that he had the Power of
Creation from Eternity, and of exerting that
Power inftantaneoufly, coeval with his eternal
Being, according to his Will and Pleafure, which
was regulated by his Goodnefs and Wifdom ;
and confequently no Point of Time, a parte

ante^

Metaphyjtcal Effay. 147

ante^ in eternal Duration, can be conceived,
wherein he could not have afted or created ;
which therefore rnuft be without Beginning,
and from Eternity : For if that be denied, and
his creative Power and Will had a Beginning,
then an Eternity was before it, wherein the
Divine Being could not adl, and his Power,
Goodnefs, Wifdom, and Juftice, mufl: have
been quiefcent. But fince God muft be al-
lowed to have had the Power of Creation from
Eternity ^ if he exerted that Power from Eter-
nity, which it muft be allowed he could do ;
then from Eternity he has been difplaying his
Power, Goodnefs, Wifdom, and Juftice, in an
infinite Variety, in adjufting, governing, and
regulating dependent Beings ; and perhaps in
increafing or diminifhing their Numbers :
Tho' it {hould feem to take from his Wifdom,
to fuppofe him to bring Creatures into Being,
that he was obliged again to annihilate, or de-
prive of Being.

Upon the Suppofition of a temporary Crea-
tion, or a Creation in Time, which, as it had
a Beginning, may have an End ; let us con-
fider what Perfection or Glory accrues to the
Divine Being from it, more than from an eter-
nal Creation : No other, I conceive, but this ;
That God fliould from nothing bring an Univerfe
into Being, inftantaneoufly, after an Eternity
was paft, a parte ante -^ and, for the obtaining
this lingle Adl, they muft confine his Al-
mighty Power, Wifdom, and Goodnefs, from

L 2 Ad ion,

148 A Mifcellaneous

Aftion, from all Eternity to that Moment : So
that from Eternity he was indolent, or wrapt
up in contemplating or brooding, and, as it
were, preparing, what he was to bring about
in that Jundure of Time. Would it not feem
as rational to fay, that, to difplay another Adt
of mighty Power, he might or fhould anni-
hilate at once all he had formed, and contem-
plate to all Eternity upon what he had done in
Time, as well as from Eternity contemplate
upon what he would do in Time ? Could this
lafl Adt add to the Power, Wifdom, or Per-
fedion of the Deity ? And yet, according to
my Conception, the Cafe is parallel : But, to
avoid this., we fly to his Truth, Goodnefs, Wif-
dom, Mercy, &€, not confidering, that the
fame Divine Perfedtions fhould prevent the
fame Opinion, a parte ante,

I am apt to believe this Opinion has pre-
vailed, from the coniidering feparately the na-
tural Perfedions of the Deity from the moral,
I may fay the divine -, and thus refting upon
his Infinitude, Eternity, and Almighty Power,
they conceived all dependent Creatures finite
in Duration, as well as in Amplitude ; and, to
increafe the Power of God in giving them a
Beginning from nothing, they leflTen'd the Eter-
r.iiy of his Goodnefs, and other moral Attri-
butes, to his Creatures ; and fo gave the Divine
Being an Eternity of Duration, without Adtion,
or any Application of his moral Attributes :
Whereas, if we conceive dependent Beings as

Emana-

Metaphyfical Eflay. 149

Emanations from the Deity, proceeding, in
the manner how, from his Will, and not from
Deftiny or Fate ; then all the Divine Perfections
were in Ad from all Eternity, and his Wifdom,
as well as his Goodnefs, were in perpetual Ad:,
in forming, adjufting, and governing his Crea-
tures, and in rewarding and punifliing them
according to their Adions ; which is to be car-*
ried on thro' eternal Duration.

It feems therefore highly probable, by con--
fidering the Divine Perfedions together, that
there can be no Time fhewn or conceived,,
w^herein dependent Beings have not exifled ;
lince no Time can be ihewn or conceived,,
wherein the Divine Being was not equally good
as great : Nor can it give us fo high an Idea of
the Deity, to fuppofe his Power greater thaa
his Goodnefs, his mod divine Attribute. It
takes nothing from the Divine Perfedions, to,
fay, that God is the eternal Caufe of his Crea-
tures, no more than to fay, that he was the
Caufe in Time -, for he is equally great, if they
exifted by his Will from Eternity, as if they
were produced in Time : And his Wifdom and.
Goodnefs muft be more confpicuous by Jiis
having an eternal adual Power of governing,
rewarding, and punifliing free confcious Be-
ings, and making all things in Nature fubfer-
vient to his Will, than an inadive Speculation,
from Eternity, of what he; would bring fortli
in Time,

\j 3 Sinc.q

1^0 A Mifcellaneous

Since then it feems agreeable to the Per-
fection of the Deity, to extend the Formation
of his Creatures as far back as Thought can
reach, and not inconfiftent with his Goodnefs
to have given them eternal Duration ; I muft
conceive, that from Eternity, or from endlefs
Ages, an almoft infinite Number of finite
Beings were formed, by Emanations from the
Divine Being, of the greateft Perfections their
Natures could allow of, confiftent with the
Variety, Beauty, Harmony, and Subordination
of Beings, requifite in ^ Government where
infinite Goodnefs and Wifdom prefided ; and
greater Powers and Faculties were given to
lome than to others, in order to have a per-
fed: Subordination : Freedom of Will was alio
abfolutely neceflary to confcious rational Be-
ings, or otherwife abfolute Fate determined
every thing, and Reafon could not ad: : But,
fince the Divine Being adled by his Will with
the greateft Freedom, it was reafonable, that
he fhould govern Creatures that had alfo Free-
dom of Will, and were accountable for their
Adions. In fuch a State, Rewards and Punifh-
ments were neceflary ; and confequently Ca-
pacities of being admitted into higher Enjoy-
ments, and of obtaining greater Powers, upon
obeying the Will of the Supreme Being ; and
alio of being degraded, and lofing their former
Powers and Enjoyments, upon Difobedience.

Thefe Creatures then, whether formed
from Eternity, or as early in Time as can be

imagined.

Metaphyfical Eflay. 151

imagined, as they were formed by the mod
perfe(ft Power and Wifdom, fo they were, in
their feveral Orders and Degrees, formed mod
perfed:, in a regular Subordination to each
other, and in perfefl: Obedience to their Crea-
tor ; then they were all adive, all Joy, all lu-
minous, wrapt up in Contemplation of the
Divine Perfedlions and Goodnefs ; there was
then no Darknefs at all, all was Heaven, all
Light \ no dark opaque Globes, or Earths, or
Comets, or want of Suns to enlighten them,
but all was univerfal Day ; then the vaft Ex-
panfe of Space was peopled with Archangels,
Angels, and all the heavenly Hoft, with all
the adive and confcious. Spirits or Beings, that
perhaps ever were, or will be, in the Univerfe ;
for it would feem an Imperfedion, that the
fupremely wife God fhould form Beings, that
it was neceffary for him again to annihilate :
This, it is probable, was the firft State of Things,
agreeable to the Divine Wifdom, all fingle adive
Beings, elaftic, and extended in Space, confci-
ous, and capable of contemplating upon, and
adoring the Divine Being in all his Perfedions,
his Goodnefs, Wifdom, Power, and Providence,
according to the different Perfedions, Powers,
and Capacities, of the feveral created Beings.

But fince the Beauty and Harmony of the
Univerfe, and Happinefs of confcious Beings^
confift in a Variety of Senfations, and a Rota-
tion of various Pleafures, as well as of the
beatific Vifion^ and conftant Contemplation of

L 4 the

152 A Mifcellaneous

the Deity ; for an Attendance to the Works of
Creation and Providence is a Kind of Relaxa-
tion from the too intenfe View of the Divine
Perfeclions ; the alUwife Being thought it
proper to unite them to Vehicles, with fuch
Senfations, FafTions, and Appetites to the
feveral Orders of Being, as by tli^i^ Variety
might heighten the Joy and Pleafure of the
Creatures, by making them focial Beings ; and
to have Affedions and Paflions for each other.
The intelligent contemplative Nature, or di-
vine, may be called the Mafculine Nature, as
being more ftrong and vigorous ; fometimes
called the inward Man, and properly the di-
vine or religious Nature, either in the angelic
cr human Order of Beings 5 the other, or fu-
perior Vehicle or Machine, conveying Senfa-
tions, Paflions and Affections, by which the
fuperior Orders become focial, may be called
the Feminine^ as being weaker, and fubordinate
to the Rational and Pvlafculine, and may be
called the animal and feniitive Nature ; where-
in private and felfifh Good is made the Objed:
of the Individual's Happinefs, as public Good
is of the Divine or Mafculine Nature : The
feveral Orders of Beinga thus furnifhed with
thofe two Vehicles, properly united, enjoyed
feverally, in each Individual, according to their
Powers and Capacities, all the Pleafures and
Enjoyments of Reafon and Senfe ; and fo long
as the animal Enjoyments, the private Good of
the Individual, was kept in due Subordination

to

Metaphyftcal Effay, 153

to the Rational ; where the public Good was
the Objed ; and both Natures contributed to
. the general Good of the Univerfe ; fo long
was each Individual capable of the higheft
Gratifications and Senfations ; and a perfed:
Harmony fubfifted through all the Orders and
Degrees of focial Beings, from the higheft Se-
raph, to the lowell Order of intelligent Beings :
But as foon as the private Good of the Indi-
vidual, Self-love, was fet up in Oppofition to
the public Good, the Love of God, and our
Neighbour ; and the animal Nature quit its
Subordination to the Divine ; then Difcord and
Confufion took place in Society -, the Harmony
of the Univerfe was broke 5 the divine Laws of
Society were unhinged ; and by the experi-
mental Knowlege of Evil, was the firft Difobe-
dience of the divine Laws made known to thofe
Orders of Spirits who fet up Self-love, the
Gratification of animal Nature, in Oppofition
to divine Love, the chief Good of all created
Beings ; for as the Divine Being had given his
Creatures a Freedom of Will to a(ft confiftently,
or otherwife, with the Laws he had eftabliflied
in the Univerfe, for the Good of the Whole,
in the Subordination in which he had placed
them ; with a fufiicient Power, in each Indi-
vidual, to preferve the Harmony he had efta-
bliflied 5 and a Promifeof Death, or Life, ac-
cording as they difobeyed or obeyed his Laws ;
it was intirely owing to themfelves, their re-
belling againft the Divine Laws eftabliflied in

the

154 ^ Mifcellaneous

the Univerfe, by fome of the feveral Orders
thinking of themfelves more highly than they
ought, and entering into private Cabals to fcalc
the Heavens as it were, and take the Place of
fuperior Orders by Force ; and fo break into
the divine Harmony, and regular Subordina-
tion, eftabliQied in the Univerfe. But this
Rebellion of the angelic Orders was defeated by
the Meffiah at the Head of the obedient an-
gelic Hoft ; and the difobedient, lapfed, an-
gelic, and human Orders of Spirits, were
hurled down from the Powers and Enjoyments
they had in the Heavens, into Opacity and
Darknefs, by depriving their Vehicles of that
Adlivity, Luminoufnefs, and Diaphaneity, they
were before inflated with ; by confining their
Extenfion and Powers to a much fmaller Pro-
portion of Space ; by which means, by leffen-
ing their Extenfion, and increafing their eflTen-
tial Spiflltude, by Attra(3:ion and Cohefion,
Darknefs was firft brought into the World ^
and thus they, being forced together, became
the Subjlratum of the feveral Chaos's of the
Suns, Planets, and Comets, throughout the
Univerfe ; moft, if not a;ll, being deprived of
Confcioufnefs and Senfations, until fuch time
as it might be thought proper, by the Divine
Being, to reftore them to fuch Degrees of Life
as were appointed by him, for their undergoing
the feveral Degrees of Punilhment allotted to
them 5 and for placing fuch of them in a State
of Probation again, is order to try their future

Obedience^

Metaphyfxal Eflay. 155

Obedience, for whom a Divine Mediator had
interpofed.

The Difobedience and Lapfe, among fo
many of the angelic Orders, occafioned the
Death or Stupor of moft of them, perhaps, by
their Difunion from their fuperior Vehicle, the
Caufe and Conveyer of their Senfations, and
focial Pleafures ; by which means, thofe Ve-
hicles, being no more properly inflated, be-
came opaque Particles 3 compofing, with the
other adtive Particles, Mafles of Matter, of
which our feveral opaque chaotic Globes, as
well Suns, as Planets and Comets, are formed ;
which are no more than fo many Prifons to
the lapfed Spirits, by which they are excluded
from Light, Life, and the Regions of Joy ; and
this feems to be a remarkable Period, which
hath taken up a confiderable Time in eternal
Duration, wherein the Divine Goodnefs and
Juftice were remarkably concerned in the
Diftribution of Rewards and Punifhments
among the innocent and lapfed Angels.

In inflicting thefe Punifliments, perhaps the
mofl flagrant and rebellious Spirits were con-
fined to the Centers of the feveral Syfl:ems, ia
thofe Globes, which afterwards became Suns,
and fixt Stars -, under the Surfaces of which
they may have lain quiefcent for Millions of
Ages, without Life or Senfe • whilft others,
not fo noxious, were enchained in the chaotic
MafTes of Planets, and Comets, in order to
their being brought into Life^ when thefe
3 Globes

156 A M.ifcellaneou$

Globes were made habitable by the Almighty
Power of God ; at which time the Mofaic
Creation commenced ; when the Divine Logos
put all thefe Planets in regular Motion, round
the leveral Suns ; and made each of them ha-
bitable for Beings of different Powers and
Properties, according as they were placed
higher or lower in each Syftem, around the
fc* -^tral Suns which enlightened them ^ each
a&ve Spirit infinuating itfelf into a proper
Vehicle, upon being fixt in a proper Nidus^
wherein it could increafe, and receive Food,
upon the Planets being made habitable ; whilft
at the fame time, among the angelic Orders,
feveral may be daily tranfgreffing fome of the
divine Laws ;. and, according to the Degrees of
fuch Tranfgreffion, Spirits may be daily driven
downwards towards the Centers of the feveral
Syftems ; and there either lofe their Senfations,
as others have done, or be driven from the
higheft and pureft j^ther, the higheft Heaven,
to the inferior, where the Planets range ;
where they may ftill remain confcious, though
deprived of Part of their angelic Glory and
Powder 5 either afterwards to be reftored with-
out defcending lower, by a gradual Rotation ;
or to be impelled low^er, to the inferior Re-
gions, according to their Degree of Lapfe ;
whilft, in the mean time, other lapfed Spirits
may be in a State of Probation, as human Souls
are, and may at proper Periods be reftored to
Heaven and Joy, again to fill the Heavens

from

Metaphyfical Eflay. 157

from whence others fall. This may be the Situ-
ation in which we at prefent are. The Num-
ber of Spirits confined to opaque Globes need
not ftagger our Imagination, fince Darknefs to
Light, or the opaque Globes to the iEther, is
not in Proportion, as a Grain in the Balance,
or an Atom to the whole Earth ; and conic-
quently, the lapfed Spirits bear no Proportionr
to the Blefled, that fill the ^ethereal Spaces of
Heaven and Joy.

If then we may fuppofe the feveral Globes,
and Maffes of Matter, in the feveral Syflcms
around us, to be Prifons to lapfed Spirits, and
Places of Punifliment, as well as Places of
Probation ; then, from the Suns, the Centers
of the feveral Syflems, to the highcfl: Heaven,
as in ours, fuperior to the Orb oi Saturn^ as
far as the higheft and moft eccentric Comets
range in their Aphelions, we may fuppoic
the heavenly Situations to be more glorious,
and confequently to be inhabited by Beings of
more fupereminent Powers, the higher they are
fituated ; and according to their Behaviour, or
Obedience to the Divine Being, they may
afcend, or defcend, to, or from, the fuperior
Heavens ; and their Pleafure may be inlarged
or diminifhed ; and the fuperior Orders may
have a Power of degrading and repelling them
from their Society. Thus thofe Beings, or
Devils, who moft enormoufly tranfgrefs the
divine Laws, are forced down to the feveral
Suns, where the greateft Attradion of Matter is,

where

158 A Mifcellaneous

where they may undergo Panifhments to an
indeterminate Eternity 5 whereas others, not
offending fo egregioufly, may only be impelled,
or fink to the Orbits of the feveral Planets,
where, according to their Tranfgreflions, they
may hover, and be attrad:ed by the feveral
Planets in their Orbits, each attrading erratic
Souls, when within their Sphere of Attraction :
So, in like manner, may fome be impelled to,
or attrad:ed by, the Comets, in their Defcent to,
and Afcent from, the Sun j and may in them
be imprifoned for many Ages, until they arc
made habitable by the almighty Power of the
Divine Being.

Thofe in the higheft Heavens, above the
Orbs of "Jupiter and Saturn, and fo in other
Syftems, may be intirely taken up in the
beatific Vifion ^ in contemplating the divine
Perfedions, in all his Works of Creation and
Providence : Thofe, no higher than the Or-
bits of thefe Planets, may be relaxed from the
too intenfe Contemplation of the Deity 5 and
may have fuperior Vehicles to enable them to
enjoy Society, and have animal Paffions and
Senfations ; whilft others, gliding ftill lower in
the Globes of Mars^ and the Earth, may be
further immerged in animal Senfations and
Pleafiires, mixt with a due Proportion of ra-
tional and focial Plealures : Thofe agirjn floating
or impelled lower to the Orbs of Venus and
Mercury^ may have their higher Powers,
Reafon, and rational Enjoyments, fo weakened,

tha<

Metaphyjtcal Effay, 159

that their Paffions, iralcible and concupifcible,
may predominate, with other animal Appetites,
from the greater Number of the Sun's Rays
exciting their Paffions : And thofe who moft:
grofly offend may fall into the Dilk of the Sun,
and fixed Stars, the great Abyfs, and be con-
fined there, with or without Senfations, during
the Pleafure of the Almighty Being, according
as his Juftice or Mercy takes place, or is allow-
able according to the Difpenfations of Divine
Providence.

It is highly probable, that this Period of
Time, and Difpenfation of Providence, in Suns,
Planets and Comets, may have an End, as it
has had a Beginning ; for in eternal Duration,
the Harmony and Variety of the Difpenfations
of Providence makes up the Beauty of the
Whole, and Happinefs of created Beings ; for
fhould there be no Rotation or Variety, but
the fame Scene continued throughout Eternity,
the Progrefs of Knowlege and Obfervations
would be at a Stand, and the infinite Wifdoni
of the Divine Being would not have room to
difplay itfelf ; nor could his infinite Goodnefs
difplay itfelf fo much to his Creatures, by con-
tinuing them always in a permanent State of
Contemplation, as by an aftive progrefiive
Knowlege, and Obfervation of a Variety of
Scenes and Difpenfations, where the Divine
Wifdom, Goodnefs, Mercy, and Juftice, would
be difplayed in an infinite Variety. Various
Hints are given in Holy Writ of an End to

this

i6o A lSlifcella77eous

tliis Period ; Heave^i and Earth fcall pafs away %
That in new 'Jenijalem there was no need of
the Light of the Sun, God himfelf being the
Light thereof : At the End the Meffiah (hall
deliver up his Kingdom . to God the Father,
that he may be All in all, to the End of Time ;
that is, when Time fhall be no longer meafured
by the Rotation of the heavenly Bodies :
Which Paffages plainly intimate, that there
fhall be an End to the prefent Syftem of
Beings around us : What fliall fucceed. Eye
bath not feen^ nor Ear heard^ nor hath it en-
tered into the Heart of Man to conceive it.

That there is to be a continued Rotation
and Variety throughout Eternity, may be alfo
confirmed from Ezekiel's, Vifion of the Mer-^
cava of the Mefliah ; the Chariot of the God
of IJraeli The Wheels, and Wheels within
Wheels, plainly indicate a Rotation, and Va-
riety of Scenes, in eternal Duration, and that in
the living Part of the Univerfe ; for they were
living Creatures full of Eyes ; fo that it was a
Rotation of Souls, and angelic Orders. So
alfo in the different Faces and Appearances of
the living Creatures in the Mercava or Chariot,
which was alfo in the Quadrants of the Wheels,
the different Powers and Periods of Souls, and
the feveral Orders of adlive Spirits, were made
known in the Vifion ^ as it is finely defcribed
by the ingenious Doctor Henry More-, wherein
the four Faces of the Eagle, the Man, the
Lion, and the Ox or Cherub, are highly em-
blematical

Metaphyfical Effay. i6i

blematical of the feveral Syftems of Souls in
Rotation : The Eagle, by its high Flight and
fleady looking at the Sun, reprefents the feveral
Orders of intelligent Beings, in their greateft
Exaltations, in the intenfe Beams of the Al-
mighty, wrapt up in d}"^'.ne Contemplation, and
the beatific Vifion : This he calls the x^ziluthic
State. The human Face reprefents that State
and Period he calls the Briathic, wherein
Reafon and Policy prefide over the Paflions ;
where focial Virtues, and neighbourly Love,
are fubordinate, and united to Love divine. It
being impoffible for Souls always to foar up to
the Height of divine Love, and to bear with-
out allay the intenfe Light and Glory of the
Divine Being ; he thought it proper in this
State and Period to give them an ardent Love
to their Fellow-creatures, and make them
focial by forming them into Governments, in
a due Subordination to each other.

The Face of a Lion reprefents that Period
in the Pvcvolution of Souls, wherein the irraf-
cible and concupifcible Paflions bear Sway,
called by him the Jetzirathic State j wherein
Souls lapfed ; from their Paffions having got
the better of their Reafon ; the animal Appe-
tites, and Self-love, having got the Afcendant
over both divine and focial Love ; this is iig-
nified by the Ferocity of the I.ion, the King
of the Brute Creation : This State prepares
Souls to fall down to the prefent State and
Period of Souls, reprcfented by the Face of an

M Ox

1 62 A Mifcellaneous

Ox or Cherub, which is a fluggiifh flavifli
Animal, deftined to Labour, and till the
Ground ; the proper Emblem of Souls in our
prefent State, called by him the Afiathic State :
This is the Period where Souls are chained
down, and imprifone\> in earthy and material
Prifons j confined to the feveral Globes of the
Planets, where we are doomed to eat our
Bread by the Sweat of our Brows : This Ro-
tation of Periods is reprefented by one Part of
the Wheel's touching the Earth, whilft the
upper Quadrant of the Wheel, whereon the
Face of the Eagle was difplayed, reached to
the higheft Heavens : This was the Univerfe,
the Chariot which fupported the Throne of
the Meffiah, the God of Ifrael ; wherein are
reprefented the feveral Syftems and Difpenfa-
tions of Providence in the Kingdom of the
Meffiah, before he delivers up his Kingdom to
the Father, that God may be All in all ; at
which time fuch new Scenes, and Variety of
Difpenfations, may emerge from the infinite
Wifdom and Goodnefs of God, to intelligent
Beings, as is paft all Comprehenfion in our
earthy Vehicles : But, for a fuller Defcription
of this Vifion by Doftor More^ I refer you to
the Appendix.

CHAP.

Metaphyfical Effay. 163

CHAP. X.

The foregoing Hypothejisfupporfed by a cabalijlic
Interpretation to be given to the Mofaic Ac--
count of the Creation and Lapfe^ treated of
in the Three fir jl Chapters ^Genefis; as ex-
traSfed, by Dr, Henry More, from the
Learned among the Jews, and other Eajlern
Writers,

'Tn HIS Hypothefis, of the Earlinefs of
J the Creation of dependent Beings, and
Pre-exiftence of Angels and human Souls, as
well as all other ad:ive Beings, for innumerable
Ages before the Mofaic JEra^ mentioned in the
literal Tranflalion of the Mofaic Account of
the Creation of this Globe, and alfo of the
Lapfe of Angels and human Souls before the
Formation of this Globe, may be confirmed
by a philofophical or cabaliftic Meaning to be
given to the Mofaic Text in the Three firft
Chapters of Genefis^ as colleded by the great
Dr. Henry More^ as w^ell from the feuifb and
Eaftern Sages, as from his own profound Rea-
foning upon thofe Chapters. This Cabala I
{hall extrad: and explain in the beft manner I
can, and leave it to the Judgm.ent of the Reader,
whether fuch a veil'd Account may not be

M 2 couch'd

164 A Mifcellaneous

couch'd in the Text, as well as the literal Ac-
count adapted to the Capacities of the Vulgar.

In the Beginning God created the Heavens
and the Earth ; and the Earth was without
Form, and void ; ajid Darknefs was upon the
Face of the Deep:, and the Spirit of God moved
upon the Face of the Waters,

The Firft Verfe feems plainly to (hew, that
in the Beginning, long before the Six Days
Creation, God created the Heavens and the
Earth ; that is, As early in Time as Thought
can reach, taking in the Divine Goodnefs, I
may fay, from Eternity. The Heaven and
Light are fynonymous Terms, as is Earth and
Darknefs : Thus, before the Mofaic Account
of the Six Days Creation, it is plain God had
created the firft Principles, out of which all Be-
ings around us are formed. By the Heavens, the
almoft infinite Number of individual, indif-
cerpible, adtive, felf-moving Beings, which
God created by the glorious Emanations from
his own Being, are fet forth, as difperfed thro'
infinite Space ; and by Earth may be under-
ftood the almoft infinite Variety of fpecific
Vehicles or Machines, which, in their own
Nature, are unadtive and opaque, and thence
called Earth or Darknefs ; which, as yet not
being united to the fpiritual adive Monads,
were diftinguifh'd by the Name of Earth— ^W
the Eaj'th was without Form^ and void : And
thefe fpecific Vehicles of Souls^ being not pro-
perly

Metaphyftcal Eflay . 165

perly inflated by Souls or fpiritual Forms, were
empty, and in no Order or Cohefion. — And
Darknefs was upon the Face of the Deep : — For
as yet over th? whole Abyfs of Matter, Earth,
or thefe fpecific Vehicles, neither Life nor
Light appeared, for want of a proper Union
of each fpiritual Monad with a proper Ve-
hicle. And the Spirit of God moved upon

the Face of the Waters ; that is, Over thefe
Atoms, being in a fluid State, for want of
Union, the divine Energy of the Holy Spirit
moved and brooded to unite and bring them
into Life, contemplating all the Powers and
Beauty of Creation, when the feveral Atoms
of Light (hould be properly united to their
Vehicles, and Light and Life fhould fpring up
from thence.

And God faid. Let there be Light 5 afid
there was Light ; that is. The Almighty di-
refted each fpiritual adive Form or Monad to
a proper Vehicle 5 from whence fprung up at
once a Univerfe of Life, Joy, and adive Be-
ings, in a proper Subordination of all poflible
Perfedlions, with proper Powers and Senfations ;
and, as each of thefe performed his Will, pre-
ferved their Dignity, and obeyed his Command-
ments, they were preferved in their original
State, with all their Powers and Senfations:
But fuch as, from the Freedom of their Wills,
afterwards difobeyed, fell from their Station of
Light and Life into Opacity and Darknefs,
which is fymbolized by God^s dividing the

M 3 Light

1 66 A Mifcellaneous

Light from the Darknefs. And the Evening
and the Morning *wer€ the firji Day : The
Evening, that is, the State of Darknefs and
Silence, which Individuals were in before their
Union with their paffive Vehicles or Machines ;
and the Morning of Joy, Light, and Life,
which fprang up upon the Union of the adive
with the paffive Particles, in their full State of
Perfedion : And this was the firft and fuper-
eminent Period fymbolized by the firft Day's
Creation.

After this moft fublime and fupereminent
Period, which might be properly called the
Golden Age, from its Purity -, when the Uni-
verfe was all Light and Day, until Spirits, by
their Difobedience and Lapfe, wxre deprived of
their Joy and Glory, and were hurled down from
this Heaven of Light, into the chaotic Darknefs
of Planets and Comets, before the Creation of
this World of Suns and Earths appeared -, when
the difobedient Spirits were divided from their
fupcrior Vehicles, and were crouded together
by the Impulfe of Gravity, or fuperipr Power
of the heavenly Holl impelling them from
them, or, by their own attradive fympathetical
Pov/ers, cohering and uniting themielves in par-
ticular Maffes, or folid Globes of Matter 5 the
Divine Being, in Procefs of Time, after many
of the aethereal Regions had been in a manner
difpeopled by the Lapfe, refolved to reftore fe-
veral of his Creatures, according to the Nature
of their Lapfe, who were confined to Matter,

without

Metaphyfical Effay. 167

without Life or Perception, to different De-
grees of Life and Power : Upon the Promul-
gation of which, the Sons of God fhouted for
Joy, when they heard that the human Order
of Beings were allowed a State of Probation,
upon our Divine Mefliah's offering to purchafe
it for us in time, by taking Flefh upon him,
and undergoing Death to redeem us from our
original Guilt and Sin in our former State. It
then pleafed the Almighty Being to create this
vifible World, as it appears at prefent, with its
Suns and Planets, as it is fet forth by MoJes\
wherein the Divine Second Perfon, our Meffiah,
was the principal Agent. It does not appear
whether the feveral Syftems of Suns and Planets
were all made at once, or in different Periods
of Time ; or whether Mofes here does not con-
fine himfelf to our Earth ; tho' it may anfwer
to our Solar Syftem, and to all the Syftems of
the Fixed Stars. However,

The Divine Logos then faid, het there be a
Firmament in the Midji of the Waters^ and
let it divide the Waters from the Waters : That
is. Let an Atmofphere be formed, fo elaftic
and fpringy, that it may carry along with it
and fupport a confiderable Quantity of Water
in Vapours, and fuch Particles of Earth as were
rendered fluid, by uniting with it, as in other
heterogeneous Exhalations : This feparated fome
of thefe Particles, nitrous Salts, &c. from the
others which were lock'd up in the Earth,
which were ready to be applied afterwards to

M 4 the

1 68 A Mtjcella7ieous

the Generation of Plants and Animals, as the
Divine hogos (hould diredl. This Air, or At-
mofphere, was compofed moftly of fpringy
Machines or Vehicles, perhaps already united
to fome of the fpiritual Particles of Light, or
feminal Forms ; which, uniting with aqueous
Vapours, are poured down in Rain, or diftill'd
in Dew, into the Womb of the Earth, to be
ready to fix in proper Nidus's^ in order to take
Life upon due Admiffion of Heat and Moiflure :
And God called this Firmament, Expanfe, or
Atmofphere, Heaven : And this fecond Period,
by the Reunion of the adlive and paffive
Atoms in the Atmofpheres of the feveral Earths
and Planets, being a further Progrefs from the
chaotic Darknefs to Light, is exprefled a Second
Day, as before, beginning from the Evening
or Darknefs, and ending in the Morning.

Then God /aid. Let the Waters be gathered
together into one Place^ and let the dry Land
appear. Thus, after many of the Waters,
and other Fluids, were fupported by the At-
mofphere, and a fufficient Quantity of Fluids
were fix'd in the Abyfs under the Earth, tha.
reft of the Waters were gathered together in
the Hollows of the Globe, by making the Sur-
face of the Earth uneven, fo as the rifmg Ground
and Hills became dry and folid ; from whence
one was called Earth, and the Collecftion of
Waters Seas : And, being then proper for Ve-
getation, having a reafonable Degree of Heat
and Moiliure, God faid^ Let the Earth bring

forth

Metaphyjical Effay. 169

forth GrafSy the Herb yidding Seed^ a?id the
Fruit 'tree yielding Fruity after his Kind ,
whofe Seed is in itfef upon the Earth, And
the Earth brought forth Grafs ^ &c. and God
faw that it was good. And the Evening and
the Morning was the third Day.

This Third Day's Creation being a regular
Progreflion from the chaotic Darknels of lapfed
Beings, confined in the Appearance of Matter,
into Life, Light, and Joy, the Divine Logos
thought proper to bring on Life gradually -, and
thus plantal Life, being the loweft, proceeds
firft in Order : For, before this, the feminal
Forms imprifon'd in Matter had not proper
Nidus s to vegetate in : And as in Animals their
plantal precedes their fenfitive Life, and Plants
being alfo neceflary for the Food of Animals,
it w^as highly proper and regular that Plants
fhould be formed before Animals; and, a fmaller
Degree of Heat being neceflary for Vegetation,
thefe feminal Forms, united to their Vehicles,
having obtained a proper Seat, began to vege-
tate before the Sun or Stars appeared upon the
Face of the Earth or Planets, or perhaps be-
fore they blazed out to adorn the vifible World,
or the Planets were put into a regular Motion
round the Sun : For Suns and Stars v^ere of
no Ufe in the firft Period, when all was Light
and Fleaven ; the angelic Orders before the
Lapfe wanting no fuch Light as We, and other
Animals, now enjoy : Nor were Suns neceflary
in the time of chaotic Darknefs, before our vi-
fible

170 A Mifcellaneous

fible Creation, or any time before Animals were
formed : So that the Sulphur, and moil of the
luminous Matter in the Sun and Stars^ might
be in clofe Cohefion, and at Reft, in thefe fe-
veral Globes, until they were rekindled by the
Divine Power, and new Motion was given to
them to fhoot off their feveral Rays of Light

The Divine Logos then, in the regular man-
ner he created thefe Worlds, and brought out
Light from Darknefs, by a regular Progreflion,
made all Vegetables begin to grow before the
Sun blazed out, or at leaft appeared in our
Globe ; to which the firft natural Heat in the
'Nucleus of the Earth did not a little contribute ;
lince this Globe is an heterogenous Body, full of
Salts and Sulphurs, which by proper Fermenta-
tions are fet in Motion: For, without fome
Degree of Heat, Water had not been fluid,
but in its natural State of Ice, and could neither
have been divided by the Atmofphere, nor
collected into Seas. Thus the Stage of the
Earth and Planets were prepared and adorned
for Animals to adt upon ; and Vegetation being
thus brought to Perfection, God Jaw that it
nsoas goody and it being fo great a Progress
from Death to Life, is diftinguifhed as a diftind:
Period, and called the Third Day's Creation.

Befides, as the Formation of the angelic Or-
ders, or Regions of Light, made the Firft Pe-
riod or Diviiion of Time ; and the Reunion of
the adlive and paftive Particles, the feminal
Forms and Vehicles, upon the Formatiojn of

the

Metaphyjical Eflay. 171

the Firmament or Atmofphere, which fepa-
rated the Earth from the aethereal Regions^
which is fometimes fymboliz'd as a Gulph fix'd
between Heaven and Hell, Light and Dark-
nefs, made the Second Period j then thofe fe-
minal Forms and Vehicles, after Union, fixing
themfelves in proper Nidus's^ in order to ve-
getate, may be fymbolized under the Ternary,
as the other under the Binary, and thus make
up the Third Period or Day's Creation, before
the regular Motion was given to the heavenly
Bodies, which was the Fourth Day's Work,
and neceffary for the fubfequent Animal Crea-
tion.

And God /aid. Let there he Lights in the
Firmament of Heaven^ to divide the Day from
the Night ', and let them be for Signs ^ &c. —
And let them be for Lights in the Firmament of
Heaven^ to giie Light to the Earth, And
God made two great Lights^ &c. — He made the
Stars alfo.

During the chaotic Darknefs, until It was time
to create Animals capable of Sight and other
Senfations, Suns, and Globes of Light, were un-
neceffary, as well as their regular Revolutions
and Rotations round their feveral Axes : But
when Beings were to be introduced capable of
Senfation and Vifion, then it was neceffary to
form thefe" Globes of Light, and fecondary
Planets, to divide Light from Darknefs, and
to give proper Seafons for the Ufe of Animals,
particularly of Man : Then was our glorious

Syftem

172 A Mijcellamous

Syftem of heavenly Bodies framed ; the Sua
iix'd pendulous in the Center, revolving round
its Axe, and the feveral primary and fecondary
Planets revolving as well round the Sun as their
feveral Centers, and round each other -, as alio
the Comets, not yet made habitable, or long
lince deprived of Beings capable of animal Life.
Thus the DWin^ Logos ^ having formed thefe Suns
and Planets, and having given them an elaftic
Pouter fufficient to throw off innumerable Rays
of Light, with unaccountable Rapidity, thro'
all the ethereal Regions, as well as to the fe-
veral Planets, faw that it was good and per-
fect : And the Evening and the Mor?iing was
the Fourth Day ; the Quaternary denoting this
Period, when this glorious Syftem appeared to
our particular Globe, to invigorate the Pro-
dud:ion of Plants and Animals.

And God/aid^ Let the Waters brifig forth
abundantly the moving Creature that has Life^
and Fowl that may fly in the open Firmament of
Heaven. And God created great Whales^ Sec.

and every winged Fowl after his Kind j and

faw that it was good, and blefjed them^ fay^^S^
Be fruitful^ and multiply, and flit he Waters of
the Seas, and let Fowl multiply upon the Earth,

Thus an Habitation being ready for fenfible
Beings, God enabled the more pliant Fluid of
Water as a proper Nidus to receive the Seeds
of Fiili and Fowl, and other volatile Lifedts,
which were now ready to vegetate and increafe,
the Waters being earlier ready than the Earth,

to

Metaphyjical Eflay. 173

to bring the Beings formed there into Life and
Adlion ; and God faw that they were good :
And having made a competent Number of
each, without at once filling the Seas and the
Earth with their Numbers, he blefled them,
and gave them a Power to increafe and con-
tinue their feveral Species, by receiving the
Souls, or feminal Forms, of each, and injedl-
ing thofe Seeds into the Female, who was fur-
nifhed with a proper Nidus to nourifli them,
until they lodg'd their Eggs in fecure Places,
where they might be hatch 'd with Safety: And
this higher Degree of Life in fenfible Enjoy-
ments being a further Progrefs in the Creation,
he mentions it as a Fifth Period, the Quinary
denoting the State thereof.

Ajid God/aid^ Let the Earth bring forth the
living Creature after his Kind, and Cattle
after their Kind, and evei-y thing that creepeth
upon the Earth after his Kind: And God made
the Beaji oj the Earth after his Kind, Sec. And
God faw that it was good.

Thus, after God had formed Beings in lower
Degrees of Life, with feveral Kinds of Fowl,
as well as Fiili (for the more perfeftFowl were
made out of the Earth with Beads, as men-
tioned in the Second Chapter), he then pro-
ceeded to form Beings of greater Powers and
Capacities, many of them endow'd with a leffer
Degree of Reafon, having Thought, Paffions,
Memory, and a lower Degree oi Reflection ;
enough to procure them the Pleafures of the

animal

174 ^ Mifcellaneous

animal Life, having all animal Senfations in
Perfedion, and Capacity and Cunning enough
to protect themfelves or their Young from their
Enemies ; but incapable of any religious Know-
lege ; all their Reafon and Paffions being only
fufficient to afford them felfiih animal Enjoy-
ments, having no Capacity of enjoying the fu-
preme Good, or Knowlege of moral Good, fo
as to have a Concern for the general Good of
their Species, or the Univerfe, and confequent-
"ly not accountable for their Adlions.

And God foid. Let us make Man in our
Image ^ after our Likejiefs ; and let them have

Dominion over the Fijh of the Sea, &c. So

God created Man in his own Image, in the
Image of God created he him, Male and Female
created he them. And God blefj'ed them, and
faid unto them. Be fruitful, and multiply, and
replenijh the Earth, and fubdue it ; and have

Dominion over the Fip of the Sea, &c. And

God fat d. Behold, I have given you every Herb
bearing Seed, which is upon the Face of all the
Earth, and every Tree, in which is the Fruit
of a Tree yielding Seed -^ to you it f mil be for
Meat. And to every Beafl of the Earth, &c»
/ have given every green Herb for Meat ; and
it wasfo. And God f aw eve^y thing, that it
was good. And the Evening and the Morning
were the Sixth Day,

Thus, w^hen the Logos had replenifhed this
Globe with Beings of all inferior Orders and
Degrees of Life and Knowlege, he flill thought

it

Metaphyfical Effay. 175

it imperfeft without forming a Species of Beings
of fuperior Power and Knowlege, who would
be Lords over this Globe, and receive a Benefit
from all the inferior Orders of created Beings;
and fliould alfo have a Power and Capacity of
adoring the Deity, and propagating a Race to
continue it to the End of Time. This Species
was alfo as a middle Link in the Chain, to
ccnnedl the inferior Ranks of Beings to the
fuperior Orders in the aethereal Regions. The
Triune God, therefore, made Man in his Like-
nefs and Image, not only in Similitude, as to
Powers and Capacities, as Thought, Knowlege,
Reafon, and a Capacity of poffeffing moral
Virtue and Goodnefs, tho' all infinitely fLort
of the Deity ; but alfo bearing a Refemblance
in their Form to the Soul or Vehicle of the
Meffiah, united to the Divine Logos, Thus,
drawing down the aethereal Man, or Adam^
after his Lapfe, and forming him by the plallic
Power of the Spirit of God, in a prepared
Nidus in the Bofom of the Earth, forming and
raifing his Vehicle with the Duft of the Ground,
Mate andFemale created h^ them, blelfing them,
and commanding them to be fruitful, and muU
tiply^ and repleniJJj the Earthy and fubdue it^
and have Domi?iicn over the whole Earth ; al-
lowing them all that was pleafant and delicious
for their Food, and the Rem.ainder to other
living Creatures. Then God faw the whole
Creation of this Globe finifhed ; and, behold, it
was good : And thus ended the laft Period, the
5 whole

176 A Mtfcellamous

whole creative Power then ceafing ; the Senary,
made up of the three firft perfedt Numbers,
aptly pointing out the Perfedlion of it.

Thus Mofes has pointed out, very philofophi-
cally, as well as adapted to the meaneft Capa-
city, the whole Creation and Syftem of Beings,
as well as the Beginning and Original of our
earthy Species confined to this Globe.

A philofophical Inquiry, How we were
formed, and in what Numbers ? would natu-
rally follow in this Place : But I fliall defer it,
until I go thro' the cabaliftic Interpretation
given to the Second and Third Chapters, which
treats of the primitive Life we enjo-yed in the
aethereal Regions, before we lapfed, and fell from
it into our prefent State of Pilgrimage and Proba-
tion, together v/ith the Nature of our Lapfe, and
what we fufFer by it ; and then leave it to the
Judgment of the Reader, Whether there is not
a hidden or veil'd Meaning in thefe Chapters,
for the Inftrudion of the more Learned and
Wife ; as St. Paul fays, We f peak Wifdont unto
thofe who are perfeB ; as well as a plain and li-
teral Account to the Vulgar, of the Original and
Lapfe of Adam^ the Founder of the Jewijh
Race, and Type of our Saviour -, by whofe
Difbbedience Sin and Guilt are imputed to all
Mankind, as well as Grace and Forgivenefs by
the Obedience and Death of our Saviour Chrift.
After Mofes had finifhed his Account of the
Formation of this particular Globe and Syftem,
in the Six Days Creation, he clofes that Narra-
tion

Metaphyftcal Eflay. 177

tion in the Beginning of the Second Chapter :
Thus the Heavens and Earth %vere finified, and

all the Hojl of them. And God rejied the fe-

venth Day from all his Works which he had made.
He afterwards fays, ' This Account I have

* given you is not only a plain Hiftory of the
< Planting and Peopling of this Globe, but it
^ is alfo an Account of the Generations of the

* Univerfe, antecedent to the prefent State of

* this Globe 5 viz. 'The Generations of the
^ Heavens and the Earthy when they were firft
' formed, in the Day, or in that firft Period,
' when God had made the Earth and the Hea-
*■ vtns^ and every Flant of the Field, before it

* was in the Earth, and every Herb before it

* grew ; for the Lord had not caufed it to rain

* upon the Earth, and there was not a Man to

* //// the Ground.' That is, God had created
all the adlive fpiritual Beings, all the Seeds, fe-
minal Forms, and Vehicles, of all Things, be-
fore they were produced or appeared upon the
Earth, or Surface of this Globe ; before ever
any Rain had been to occafion Vegetation, or
any Man had been created here to affift the
Earth to produce her Crops, by Tillage and
manuring it : But even then there was a balmy
Moifture, which afcended in Vapour, and, re-
turning to the Earth, affifted the teeming Womb
of the Earth to produce Vegetables at their firft-
Appearance in this Globe. And the Lord God
had Aio formed Man of the Dujl of the Ground^
and breathed i?ito his Noflrils the Breath of Life:

N And

178 A Mifcellaneous

And Mcin became a living Soul : That is, Even
before Plants grew upon this Earth, or Things
were prepared here for Man's Habitation, God
alfo formed Man in his Vehicle from thefe
Atoms, this Duft of the Ground 5 and into
thefe Atoms, Vehicles, or Machines, God
breathed in an ad:ive Spirit, one of thefe fpiri-
tual Monads, or Particles of Light ; and he
became, upon this Union and Inflation of his
Vehicle, a living Soul in his asthereal Body or
Vehicle -, fuch as he fhall have again at the Re-
floration of all Things.

A?2d the Lord God planted a Garden Eaji^
ward in Eden, and there he put the Man whom
he had formed, Eaftward may be here under-
flood toward the Sun-rifing, or in the Dawn
of the Creation ^ that is, prior to Man's inha-
biting this Globe, or defcending into this ani-
mal State : And there God placed Man, the
human Species, among the fuperior Order of
Beings, and made their Situation the moft happy
that could be imagined ; there Souls bringing
forth, as the Earth, every profitable Plant and
pleafant Fruit, enjoying and contemplating the
Divine Being : And the Tree of Life and Im-^
mortality was even planted in their Soul, the
obeying the eflential Will of God, in approving
of the fupreme Good of the Univerfe ; the'
not then attained to by the human Soul : And
the Tree of Knowlege of Good and Evil,
which was Man's own Will, or the felfidi
s^nimal Appetite^ the Gratifying of which wa^

not

Metaphyjical Eflay. 179

not always confiftent with the divine Will, or
fupreme Good, the following of which mufl
bring Evil into the World : And there was
a pleafant River which watered this Garden of
Man's Soul, which divided into four Heads or
Streams, which are the four Cardinal Virtues,
Prudence, Juftice, Fortitude, and Temperance.

In this paradifaical State had God placed
Man, whom he had created perfeft, to culti-
vate and improve his Soul, and to contemplate
upon the divine Perfedtions ; indulging him in
all the Powers and Pleafures he had given him ;
allowing him full Liberty to enjoy every thing
in that Paradife, but the following his own
felfiih Will, which, by feparating him from
the Divine Will, and fupreme Good, would
only give him the Knowlege of Evil, with the
Guilt of Difobedience ; which would wean
his AfFedions from the Divine Life, and hurry
him down to the felfifh animal Life ; by which
jneans he would contradt a Languor, and Aide
down into the Earth, be buried in human
Flefli, and become an Inhabitant of the Region
of Mortality and Death.

And the Lord God faid^ It is not good that
Man JJ:ould be alone : I will make him an Help
meet for him. Hitherto Mofe$ had taken no
Notice in the aethereal Adam, or that Order of
Spirits which were afterwards human, of any
other Faculties, but fuch as were intelledual,
and carried up the Soul to the holy Intellecft,
the Divine Being ; and this feems to be the

N 2 perfe<ft

i8o A Mifcelianeous

perfeft and Pvlafculine Adam, which confifled'
in his Power of contemplating the Divine Su-
preme Intelledl : In this State Man may b^
conceived without his fuperior Vehicle, that is,
without fecial or animal Senfations or Pleafures ;
contemplating upon God, and his divine moral
Attributes, and his Works of Creation and
Providence, ad intra \ knowing the Names
and Natures of all other Beings in Theory, as
well the better as the worfe Genii of the an-
gelic Orders, as alfo of the animal and vege-
table World : And God brought them all in
Viev/ before his intelledual Faculties, and he
pronounced right in what Judgment and
Knowlege he profefled about them ; but among
thefe Orders of Being, there was not any that
was proper to be a Vehicle for this Mafculine
Adam to afibciate with, and give him the
Pleafures of Society, by his partaking of ani-
mal fenfuive Pleafures ; wherefore the Divine
Being thought proper to endue the Soul of
Man, or that Mafculine Adam, with a Faculty
of being united to a fuperior Vehicle, by
which means it became united to Matter, and
aded, and was aded upon by material Beings
arovnd it, and thus became capable of all the
Pleafures of Senfe : He thus took Adam off
from a too great View of the Light of the
Divine Being, and allowed him to look down-
w^ards, and contemplate upon all the lower
Orders of Being, as wxU as the higher Genii,
ad extra -, and to be pleafed with the Senfa-
tions

Metaphyfical Effay. i8r

tions and Joys of his Vehicle ; fo that his higher
Facuhies of contemplating the Divine Being
became drowfy and (leepy, and the Feminine
Pleafures of the Vehicle became vivid and
ftrong; and he immediately allowed, that all
his former intclledual Pleafures were not fo
grateful to him, as this fecial Knowlege of
Beings in the fame Clafs v/ith himfelf , info-
much that he found the ^enfations of his Ve-
hicle fo agreeable to him, that he fiid it was
Bone of his Bone, &V. and called it after his
own Name, and did, For fuch Gratifications
as thefe, will Man leave the perpetual Con-
templation of the Divine Being and Perfec-
tions, which are too high and fublime for the
Nature of Man, and will cleave to the joyful
and chearful Life of the Vehicle, and iTiall ac-
count the Whole as one Being or Perfon : And
thus Adain^ or the human Species, fcood ex-
pofed naked to the View of God, with his new-
wedded Joy, the Pleafures of Senfe ; but, be-
ing yet innocent and fimple, having not yet
fet up his felfiOi Will and Pleafures, ovv^ing to
his Vehicle, or Feminine Part of his Being,
againft the Will and Commandment of God,
he was not afhamcd.

The Life of the Vehicle being now fo ftrong
and pleafant, and drawing the Thoughts of
Man from the Contemplation of the Deity to
the Pleafures of Senfe, fome of the Orders of
the evil Genii or Angels, who had difobeyed,
and who were more fubtil than thofe of any

N 3 other

1 82 A Mifcellaneous

other Order, finding the human Species weak-
ened by their Feminine Attachment toPleafure,
in a proper Situation for them to tempt them to
difobey the Commandment God had given
them, and to follow the Dictates of their own^
V/ill ; this Order or Serpent, therefore, laying
hold of the feminized Adam^ who had indul-
ged him.felf in gratifying his Paffions, and fen-
fual Pleafures, faid, What, has God indeed
prevented you from gratifying your Appetites,
and indulging this pleafant Life of enjoying
fenfual Pleafures, which he has opened to your
View ? And Eve^ or the feminized Adam^ faid.
We may enjoy all thofe Pleafures that are con-
fiftent with the Divine Will, and agreeable to
a Divine Life ; we are only forbid to feed on
our own felfifh Will, and to feek Pleafures
without the Approbation of the Will of God ;
for if we gratify our own fenfual Will, and adt
inconfiftently to the fupreme Good of the Uni-
verfe, we Ihall affuredly defcend into the Re*
gion of Mortality 3 be deprived of the Enjoy-
ments we now have, and be caft into a State
of Silence or Death : But the evil Genii faid
unto the Woman, or feminized Jdavi^ This is
but an Apprehenfion, and panic Fear, in you ;
you fliall not furely die, as you have been told.
God indeed loves to keep his Creatures in Awe,
to prevent their ranging too far, and aiming at
too much KnowlegC) for he knows, if you
take the fame Liberty we have done, and make
ufe of your Will to a6t without Confinement,

as

Metaphyjical Eflay. 183

as your fenfual Pleafures in your Vehicle dic-
tate to you, your Eyes would be wonderfully
opened, you would enjoy a vafl Variety of
Pleafures, become abundantly wife, and, like
Gods, know every thing both good and evil.

This pleafing Dodrine being agreeable to
the Faflions in Adam^ his DeGre of enjoying
all the Pleafures of '^zwi^ got the better of his
Reafon j fo that, finding it agreeable to his
Paffion of becoming wife, and gratifying him-
felf in the full Swing of his own Will, he
wholly fet himfelf to enjoy the pleafing Life
of his Vehicle, without any Diredion from
Reafon, or confulting with the divine Light
God had placed in him : And thus his Reafon,
and Mafculine Faculties, fubmitted to the
pleafing Life of the Vehicle ; and both con-
curred in fetting up the Will of Man againft
the diredl Voice of Reafon, which God had
commanded Man to obey.

After thus giving himfelf an unlimited Swing
in following the Defires of his own Will, and
all the animal fenfual Pleafures arifing from
the pleafing Titillations of his Vehicle, the
Eyes of his Faculties were opened, and he per-
ceived how naked they were : Adam had be-
fore found the Height of rational Joy in
obeying the Will of God, and promoting the
general Good of the Univerfe, and of being
united to God, and his holy Angels : He now
found, that by giving a Loofe to his own felf-
iili Defires, and giving Way to every felfifli

N 4 Good

184 A Mifcellaneous

Good that he found pleafed his Senfes, and
gratified his Paiiions, and Life of his Vehicle ;
that the letting up his own private Pleafure
againft the public Good, Paffion againft Reafon,
the fenfual Pleafuies of the animal Life againft
the divine -, that thefe Purfuits had removed
him to a great Diftance from the Society of
the higher Powers, and from the Regions of
Light ; and had caufed him to aflbciate with
Beings of an inferior Nature, the animal Crea-
tion. The Eyes of his Reafon being, after
fome time, opened, he found that the Circle
of fenfitive Pleafures w^as vain and frivolous,
that he was then naked and expofed, and had
moil intimately the Knowlege of Evil by his
Soul's being eflranged from following the fu-
preme Good : However, he fowed Fig-leaves
together, made fome frivolous Pretences to
try to juftify his Conducft, by alleging, that
the Vigour of his plaftic Nature, and Vehicle,
fl"i0Lild be gratified, fince it was given to him
by God. In the mean time, the Voice of God,
Divine Wifdom, fpoke to him in the Cool of
the Day, that is, when his Paffions were
cool, and Reafon began again to recover its
legal Sway ; but he, finding his Folly, hid
himfelf from the Prefence of God among the
Trees of the Garden, as a wild Beaft would
ilran the Sight of a Man; that is, he Aill ftrove
to evade the divine Light and Reafon implanted
in him, by gratifying his felfifh Appetites ;
but the Divine Light flill purfued Adam in his

Confcience,

Metaphyseal -^K-^ij. 185

Confcience, and upbraided him for his Difobe-
dience : At lad Adam acknowleged his Naked-
nefs and Folly, finding he had no Power nor
Abilities of his own, and yet had fet up a
felfifh Good, and quit his Obedience and De-
pendence upon God ; which had occafioned
his Shame, and his hiding himfelf at the Ap-
proach of the Divine Light. And God faid,
Who has told thee, that thou wad naked ? Hall
thou then eat of this Fruit I commanded thee
not to eat, the lufcious Didates of thy own
Will? And your being thus intimiately acquainted
with the Evil of Dilobedience, and Knowlege
of your own Weaknefs and Lofs, has this at
length awakened your Confcience, and made
you afraid ? But Adam excufed himfelf upon
account of his Want of Power to obey his
Reafon, from the Vigour and Impetuoiity of
his Vehicle the Woman, his plafHc Nature,
and Seat of his Paflions, the Affociate of his
Nature, which God had given him for a Help;
and the Divine Being then faid, V/]:iat Work
have thefeFemininePaffions and Senfations done ?
But immediately an Excufe was offered, that
the grand Deceiver the Serpent, the wicked
rebellious Genii, had deceived and wrought
upon Adam\ Paffions, the animal Nature, and
laid all the Variety of the Pleafures of Senfe
before him ; by which they gained Admittance,
his Nature being too weak there to withftand
the Affault. In this Confufion was Adam^ by
forfakipg the divine Light of his Reafon, and

letting

jSjS a Mifcellaneous

letting his own Will get a Head againft it : For
whereas he might have continued in an angelic
aethereal Situation, and his Feminine Paffions
might have been brought into perfedt Obedi-
ence to his Reafon, the Divine Light, and
Joys, might have been multiplied upon the
whole Man, beyond all Expreffion and Imagi-
nation, for ever; he, on the contrary, found
the Nature of his Vehicle fo much altered,
that he funk more and more from the aethereal
Regions tow^ards a mortal and terreftrial State;
as you fiiall further hear, after telling you of
the Doom pronounced by the Divine Being
againft the Serpent : Which was this ; That
this old Serpent, who was the Prince of the
rebellious Genii, Ihould be more accurft than
all the other Orders of lapfed Beings, particu-
larly than the Human : And whereas he could
before lord it in the aethereal Regions, among
the innocent Souls of Men, and other angelic
Orders ; he ftiould for the future be caft down
to the lower Regions, keep his Station in the
lower Atmofphere, and grovel, as it were, up-
on the Earth; and, inftead of being fatiated
with aethereal angelic Food, fliould feed upon
the Duft of the Earth, and be transformed
into unclean Beafts, and poifonous Serpents ;
and that there fhould be a general Enmity and
Abhorrency betwixt him and his Fellow-rebeLs,
and Mankind ; and, in Procefs of Time, the
ever-faithful and obedient Soul of the Meffiah
fliould take an earthy Vehicle, and trample

over

Metaphyfical Effay. 187

over the Power of the Devil, and fallen Angels
here upon Earth, and after his Death he fhould
be appointed Prince and Head over all the an-
gelic Orders jn Heaven.

Concerning Adam^ or the human Species,
God decreed that they iTiould defcend down to
be Inhabitants of the Earth, and fhould not
there indulge to themfelves the Pleafures of
the Body, without a Mixture of Pain and
Sorrow 3 and that their Feminine Part, their
Paffions and Affedions, iliould be under the
CorrecTtion of their Reafon ; that Man fliould
have a wearifome and toilfome Labour on
Earth, which fliould bring forth Thorns and
Thiftles, tho' Man fliould fubfift by the Corn
of the Field : Wherefore by the Sweat of
their Brows fhould Mankind eat Bread, until
they returned unto the Ground from whence
his terreftrial Vehicle Vv^as taken. This was the
Counfel of God concerning Adam and the Ser-
pent, Man and the fallen Angels. Now
Adam^ tho' he was finking apace into the
lower animal Life, yet his Mind was not grown
quite fo flupid, but that he knew the State he
was to fall into, and faid, That the Feminine
Part, tho' it had feduced him, yet there fliould
be this Advantage from it, that the Earth
would be inhabited by intelligent Animals:
Wherefore he called the Life of his Vehicle
Eve^ becaufe it is indeed the Mother of all
the Generations of Men that live upon the
Earth.

At

1 88 A Mifcellaneous

At laft the plaftic Nature and Power being
fully awaked, Adam\ Soul, or the Souls of
Mankind, defcended into prepared terreftrial
Vehicles j and, having proper Nidus's to be
formed and nourifhed in, they, in Procefs of
Time, appeared cloathed in Coats of Skin, that
is, became downright terreftrial Animals, and
mortal Creatures upon this Earth ; having
tafted of the Waters of Lefhc\ and forgot
what had happened to them in their pre-exift-
ent State : For God faid, Lo ! Man in his
sethereal paradifaical State, having known his
Power by Obedience, and his Guilt by Dif-
obedience, in his following his own Will and
Self-love, will pretend, it he continue in the
sethereal Regions, of himfelf, to merit Immor-
tality, and eternal Life, without any Punifh-
xnent for his Crime. Therefore God fent him
out of Paradife, and removed him from that
happy Situation, and made him defcend to the
Earth, and become an Inhabitant of this lower
Region, and till the Ground, from whence he
was taken.

Thus the Divine Being prevented Man from
becoming immortal, or reaching unto the
Fruit of the Tree of Life, without paffing
thro' a State of Probation, and being again re-
inverted with a fiery or aethereal Vehicle, and
becoming a pure sethereal Spirit, who then
{hall be admitted to tafte the Fruit of the Tree
of Life and Immortality, and fo live for ever.

Notwith-

Metaphyfical ElTay. 189

Notwithftanding this feems to be the hid-
den and veiled Account of the Lapfe of Angels
and Men, before the Forming of this Globe and
Syflem, wherein God reveals himfelf as thro'
a Cloud 5 yet it need not at the fame time ex-
clude the literal Meaning, or prevent our
believing, that God Almighty had io:n\tdiAdam
in an extraordinary manner after the Six Days
Creation, vv^hen he had replenifhed the Earth,
with all its Inhabitants, Mankind, as \vell as
other Animals, as I fliall endeavour to fliew,
both from Scripture and Reafon, in the next
Chapter. For as our Saviour, from the Begin-
ning, was appointed to come into the World,
to take Fleih upon him, and die, to fave
lapfed Man ; fo Adam^ and alfo Jfaac^ were
brought into the World after an extraordinary
manner, as Types of our Saviour : Adam was
formed extraordinarily out of the Earth, with-
out a Father, and not by Generation from the
Aborigines^ God Almighty being his Father j
from whence, by St. Luke^ he was called the
Son of God ; and Ijaac without a Mother,
lince Sarah was dead as to bearing Children,
God working a Miracle in her to bear him :
Thus they were perfect Types of our Saviour,
who was begot v/ithout the Seed of Man :
T\\M'^ Adam was formed extraordinarily to be
the Head of a felcdt Race, the Je^xs, in whofe
Line our Saviour was to come in the Flefli, t )
beget Prielb and Prophets to hand down true
Religion, divine Truths, and promulge th^

divine

igo A Mifcellaneous

divine Law to the Aborigines : Thu§ he wat
fubftituted inftead of the Mafs of fallen Man,
as their Prince or Head, in an upright State,
to try, if, by his own Strength, he could obey
the Law which God had given him. He might
alfo have been formed in Palejiine, and after-
wards placed in Ede;?, feparated from the reft
of Mankind, to prove his Obedience ; and that^
upon his Fall with Eve^ the Sin, as Reprefen-
tative and Prince of Mankind, was myftically
imputed to all Mankind, tho' already lapfed,
that the Obedience and Death of Chrift might
be alfo imputed as an Atonement for all Man-
kind, who believed, obeyed, and depended
upon the Satisfadion of the Meffiah, or to
thofe who, being without the Law, became a.
Law unto themfelves ; that is, adled with a
good Confcience in their State of Probation
here. Adam not having a proper Help among
all the Females of the Jborigi?ies to carry-
down a feled: Race from him to the Meffiah,
Eve was formed out of his Subftance or Side,
as in a proper Nidus^ or Matrix, after God
had caufed a deep Sleep to fall upon him,
which might have been of fuch a Length as
was necefiary to bring on the Feet us to Perfec-
tion ; and this might give Rife to the Fable of
yupiter'^ bearing Bacchus in his Thigh : In
the Time of this deep Sleep E-ve was born,
and the Tumour in his Side healed, and fhe
was brought to him in a beautiful Infancy. I
find no Reafon to believe, that Adam was
I formed

Metaphyftcal Effay. 191

formed at once in perfed: Manhood, with a
full Knowlege of Arts and Sciences, for fince
our Saviour, his Prototype, increafed from In-
fancy in Stature and Knowlege ; we may
reafonably believe the fame in Adamy his Type :
It feems reafonable to believe, that it was in
his Increafe and Youth that he gave Names to
all living Creatures, after obferving their Na-
tures, and minuted them down, for the Ufe
of others ; that in his Youth Kve was formed,
when there was not an Help meet for him
among the perhaps gigantic Aborigines ; and
file, probably, lived with him in Paradife, ia
Eden^ in a State of Innocence, until he was
about thirty- four Years of Age, at which Time
of Life our Saviour fuffered, when Eve might
have been about fixteen or feyenteen Years of
Age : At that Time of Life, as he was our
Saviour's Type, he probably difobeyed ; for,
as he was put into the Garden of Eden to cul-
tivate it, and find out the Nature of Plants as
well as Animals, it muft be prefumed, that he
lived there for fome time ; and that was the
Time in Life that Defires and Concupifcence
grew ftrong in Eve^ and made her liften to the
Temptation of the Serpent, by liftening to the
Pleafures of Senfe ^ which might have been
forbid to them, as a proper Tefl of their Obe-
dience, when their Pafiions grew flrong ; fo
that a literal Meaning may accompany the other
thro' the whole Mofaical Text, to carry on
the Mvftery of the Fall of Man, that he might

be

192 A Mi/cellaneoiis

be a perfedl Type of our Saviour, who was
afterwards to come and redeem lapfed Man-^
kind ; and as his Righteoufnefs and Obedience
was imputed to all Mankind, fo Adam\ Lapfe
or Difobedience was likewife imputed to Man-
kind ; for Death reigned even over thofe Ab-
origines^ who had not finned after the Similitude
of Ada7n\ Tranfgreffion 3 for they could not be
under the Guilt of Sin before the Law was
given to Adam-, for tho' natural Sin was in the
World before the Law, yet it could not be
imputed, when the Law was not given, as St.
Paul reafons. Thus, literally, for eating the
forbidden Fruit, the Tree of carnal Senfe
planted in the Midft of the Garden, they
were drove out of the Garden of Ede?7y to till
the Ground from whence they were taken;
and the Curfe of the natural Creation was im-
puted to them upon their Difobedience, tho*
the Labour of Man, Thorns and Thiftles, and
Creeping of the Serpent, as well as Pains of
Child-bearing, were all natural from the firfl
Formation of the Earth,

CHAP.

Metaphyseal Eflay. 193

CHAP. XI.

Wherein isjhewn^ both from Scripture and Rea-

Jon, that there were Men created on this Globe

before the Mofaic iEra of the Creation of

Adam, the Father vf the Jewifh Race ; and

that fever al of their Defcende?2ts are living

now upon this Globe : And foewing that

NoahV Flood was not univerfal^ nor inte7tded

to drown thofe Aborigines ; but only the De-

fcendents of Adam, who had degenerated

from the true Religion^ and Worfip of the

true Gcd^ Jehovah, the God of Ifrael.

HAVING finiflied what I propofed, in
relation to the cabaliflic Meaning to be
given to the Lapfe of Adam^ as fct forth by
Mofes ; it may be proper here to confider phi-
lofophically how Man was formed, and in
what Numbers, upon our firft Appearance up-
on this Globe : For as the Tenor of Scripture,
in the vulgar Reading, feem.s to fhew, that we
all defcended from one Individual, no other
being mentioned than Adam, and yet there
being feveral Texts of Scripture which cannot
be eaiily explained in that Senfe, as well as
Paflages in Hillory, which w^ould give us Ground
to believe, that there have been Men upon this
Earth before the Mofaic JEra of Adam ; I

O fliall

194 A Mifcellaneom

fhall therefore firft treat of it philofophically,
as far as I can treat of it from Reafon atid Ob-
fervation 3 and then endeavour to (hew, that it
is not inconfiftent with the Tenor and Intention
of the Scriptures, that we are not defcended
from one particular Stock or Parent.

It feems plain, from the Mofaic Account,
that the Divine Being formed all the feminal
Forms, and fpecific Vehicles, and, hy uniting
them, formed each individual Plant and Ani-
mal, in their Seeds, in the Six Days Creation,
or in thofe feveral Periods ; and moft probably
the Spirits and Souls of all Beings in the Firfl
Period : So that God refted from any new
Creation from that time, l^hus the Heaveni
and Ea7^th were finipded^ and all the Hoji of
them : And God ended his Work^ and i^ejied the
feventh Day from all his Work which he had
made. Now it can't be faid, that God had
finifhed all the Hofl: of Heaven and Earth, and
refted from his Work, if he is perpetually
creating human and other animal Souls, as Ge-
neration is carried on, from the Beginning to
this time ; and fo on to the End of the World.
Again he fays, Thefe are the Generations of the
Heavens and the Earth, in the Day that God
made the Ear^th and the Heavens^ and every
Plant of the Field, before it was in the Earth,
and every Herb of the Field, before it grew 5
for as yet there was no Rain, 72or Man
formed to till the Ground : That is, God had
made all Spirits, Souls, and feminal Forms, in

their

Metaphyfical Effay. 195

their Seeds, before they were produced upon
this Earth ; and confequently before they grew;
before the Formation of Man, as he now ap-
pears a terreftrial Animal ; or before any thing
on this Globe arofe to Perfed:ion : This he
points out as One Period ; In the Day that God
made the Earth and the Heavens,

Now fince God had formed all the Seeds of
Vegetables, and prepared the Earth over the
whole Globe, in its feveral Climates, at firft, as
a proper Nidus for the Produftion of all Ve-
getables ; it does not feem rational to think,
that only one Individual of each Species was
produced at firft ; and that they, having Seeds
in themfelves, fliould propagate, difperfe, and
repleniili the Earth, before Animals were
formed ; but rather, fince their Seeds were all
fcatter'd originally in the Air, Water, and Earth,
and the Earth being a proper Matrix or Nidus
for them, they grew every- v/here fpontaneoufly,
according to the feveral Soils and Climates :
Whereas, fuppofing only one Individual of
each created at firft, it would take many
Ages to difperfe them thro' the Globe, where
nothing but Winds or Water could carry them,
until Animals were created; and Part of this
Earth, and uninhabited Iflands, would to this
Day be without Trees or Herbage : Nor is it
reafonable to believe, that God fhould form
innumerable Seeds at once, and prepare a World
proper for them, and frame a Theatre for other
fupcrior Beings to adt upon, and yet leave the

O 2 Whole

196 A Mifcella?ieous

Whole a Defert, the greatefl Part for many Age5
without being cloathed with Vegetables, having
only a fingle Stalk of each formed at once : It
feems therefore more philofophical to allow,
that the whole Earth was at firft properly
cloathed with all Kinds of Plants and Trees,
according to the feveral Soils and Climates ;
and that the Surface of the Earth being a com-
mon Mother to them, the feveral feminal Forms
of Plants, and each adlive Spirit, entering a
proper Vehicle or Machine, drew a fuitable
Nourifhment from the properly-prepared Ma-
trix of the Earth ; and thus a due Proportion
of Verdure, or Cloathing, at once appeared up-
on the Earth.

From the fame way of Reafoning we muft
believe, that Fifli, Fowl, Beafts, Infeds, &c,
were formed in great Numbers at firft, tho'
not fo many as to fill the whole Earth : For,
if only two Individuals, Male and Female, of
each Species, were formed at firft, there being
fo many Beafts, Birds, and Fifli, nay, even In-
fects, of Prey, which live upon one another,
that they muft have devoured the weaker, and
the feveral Infeds they lived upon, or muft
have been famifn'd for want of Food ; for we
find moft Fifli live upon one another, the.
greater having nothing elfe to feed upon, and
the Remainder feed upon Infedls • and, by the
Texture and Form of Land Animals, we find
many of them were never defigned by Provi-
dence to feed upon Vegetables : Befides, of

what

Metaphyfwal Eflay. 197

what Ufe would Vegetables have been, formed
abundantly over the Face of the whole Earth,
if there were not a fuitable Number of fuch
Animals as feed upon them formed at firfl to
keep them down ? The whole Earth would
foon have been covered over with rotten Vege-
tables, and have become a Bog : This would
not have been confident with the infinite Wif-
dom of God. Could we fuppofe, amongft
OLirfelves, that a w^ife Man fhould build a fine
Palace, fit it out with Furniture in the moft ele-
gant Manner, prepare a great Feaft, with vaft
Variety and Plenty \ and, when all was done,
have no Gueft invited, no Perfon to eat at it,
but have it all thrown away as good for no-
thing ? How then can we imagine, that the
infinitely wife God could have done fo at the
firft Formation of this Globe ? Have we not
then Reafon to believe, that the all -wife Being,
from innumerable Seeds of Animals, prepared
a fufiicient Number at once to enter into pro-
per Eggs or Matrices, and to come to Life at
once in different Climates in the Globe ?" Nor
do I think we ought to fuppofe, that Animals
were formed a't once in perfedt Size and Vi-
gour ; but grew gradually, as they do now,
from their Seed or Egg : The more luxuriant
Earth at that time might have been prepared
with a proper Nutriment for them, infiead of
the Milk they now receive from their Dams :
Nor is it any way^ inconceivable, or im-
probable, that minilb'ing Angels, under the

O 3 Diredion

198 A Mifcellamom

Diredlion of the Meffiah, fhoulft affift Na->
ture at the Creation in fupporting and feed-
ing young Animals, until they were capable of
fupporting themfelves, without building the
whole Works of the Creation and Formation
of Animals upon the abfolute Fiat and Power
of God ; otherwife the whole Creation, in its
Perfe6tion, might have been inftantaneous, and
all Succeffions of Being might have been at
once in the World without Nouriiliment at all :
But fince we find, that God's Wifdom is always
joined with his Power, and that he adls, where
it may be done, by fecond Caufes ; it is more
probable, that the Generation of Animals was
brought to Perfecflion by degrees, as well as
their Succeffion has been carried on fince.

The laft and chief thing I propofed to con-
fider, is. Whether, in the Six Days Creation,
when great Numbers of Individuals of all other
Beings were created, and brought to Perfe6lion,
only one Male and Female of the human Spe-
cies was made at firfl: ? Or whether a greater
Number ?

As I am confidering this now philofophi-
cally, according as it appears to Reafon, with-
out any View to Holy Writ, which I fhall
confider of in an Article by itfelf ; I can't in
the leaft doubt, but many Individuals of the
human Species were created and brought up-
on the Stage together, long before the AIg-^
Jaic Mra of Adam ; and that many Nations
now living upon this Globe are not the De-

fcendents

Metaphyjical EfTay. 199

fcendents of Adam^ but were generated from
other Parents.

To proceed in the fame way of Reafoning,
I can't conceive, from the regular and uniform
Proceedings of the Deity, but that a reafonable
and proportional Number of the human Species
were made, according to the Number of other
Beings that were made fubordinate to them :
For fince it feems to have been the Intention
of Providence, that the Ufe of Animals and
Vegetables, and the Command of them, w^as
principally defigned for Man, as Lord over them
in the prefent State of Things in this Globe ; if
they abounded and were formed in Numbers,
in every Climate and Region throughout the
Globe, and only one Man was formed at firft,
from whom all others have defcended ; How
many Ages would it have been before Man
could have the Ufe, or obtain the Dominion
over Animals and Plants, in the feveral Regions
of this Globe ! Their Increafe, to the Increafe
of the human Species, would have been un-
meafarable ; iince Man is many Years before
he begins to generate, and Animals begin very
young, and have thern in greater Numbers at a
time : Thus the wild Beafts and Fowls woukl
have been too many for them, and for fuch
Bealts and Birds, 0r. as they prcy'd upon ;
and the Animals and Vegetables defigned for
Food and Rayment to Man, would have been
in a great meafure loft for many Ages, and
would have been of little more Signllicancy,

O 4 than

200 A Mifcellaneous

than if there had been none at all in mod
Parts of the Globe. It feems therefore, from
the Ratio of Things, more agreeable to the
Proceedings of Providence, that a reafonable
Number of the human Species, of both Sexes,
fhoald have been brought upon the Stage to-
gether, in different Regions and Climates, in
the fame manner that other Animals were ;
and grew gradually from a Foetus to Manhood ;
and were not at once made, Hke a Statue, and
had Souls infufed into them, as vulgarly be-
lieved ; but that, as our Saviour increafed and
greWjfromhisConception to Manhood,in Stature
and Knowlege, fo Men were originally form'd
from the Seed in like manner ; and were taken
care of, in their Infancy and Increafe, by mi-
niftring Angels, until they were capable of
providing for themfelves ; and that then they
were left to themfelves in a State of Nature,
to condud; themfelves by their Reafon, without
'Law or revealed Religion, until Adam was
formed, to whom the Law was given ; God
Alm-ighty, at their firft Creation, having only
directed them ro increafe ^ and multiply^ and re-
plenip the Earth, and f lib due it^ having given
them the Dominion over it, and the inferior
animal and vegetable Creation : So that the
Aborigines, being without any Religion, or
revealed Law, acted only fo far as their unin-
, flru6led Reafon could lead them, and princi-
pally gratified their animal Nature, until the

Law

Metaphyjical Eflay. 201

Law was revealed to Adam^ and they were in-
ftrud:ed by him and his Defcendents.

This Opinion, of Numbers having been
formed at firft, earth-born, Aborigines^ before
the Formation oi Adam, the Head of the Race
of the Jews, feems to be further confirmed,
upon viewing and confidering the feveral Na-
tions at prefent upon this Globe, fo far as they
are known to us, from our late Difcoveries
within thefe three hundred Years ; which feems
plainly to (hew, that we are not all defcended
from one common Parent, but have had feve-
ral original Parents : And were the other Na-
tions, which we have not yet difcovered, known
to us, it might itill further confirm us in that
Opinion.

Before we confider this Variety and Differ-
ence in the human Species, fince Nature afts
generally after the fame manner, Let us go back,
and obferve the lower animal Creation, among
the feveral Species of Brutes, and their Under-
Species, and we fliall find a great Variety, and
fuch a one as is conflantly prefer ved, where
the Under-Species generate together: Let us
obferve, in fuch Animals as are mofl in our
View, and fee how great a Variety there is,
and conflantly preferved, among Dogs, MaflifFs,
Bull-dogs, Greyhounds, Spanieis, and fo on
thro' all the feveral Under-Species of Dogs,
and we may obferve the feme Kind conftantly
preferved, where "the Breed is not mixed ; and,
when they are mixed, the Breed conflantly

vary

20 2 A Mifceilajuous

vary in proportion to the i'everal Mixtures. Ob-
ferve the fame in Horfes, or any other Ani-
mals ; and we fhall find, if we keep the Breed
unmix'd, they never degenerate into any of the
other Kinds. Is it not reafonable to believe, that
thofe feveral Kinds have not proceeded from one
individual Parent or Sire ? Don't we find the
like Diftindlion among the human Species, in
different Countries throughout the Globe, that
neither Change of Climate, Food^ nor Educa-
tion, can alter ? Such are the Diflin6lion be-
tween the Whites, Copper-colour'd, andBlacksj
and again amongft thofe, the long-hair'd Blacks,
and the woolly Blacks : The Blacks, by being
carried to the coldeft Countries, never alter
their Colour ^ nor the Whites, upon being car-
ried to the v/armeft, and to thofe where the
Blacks have had their Original : Nay, even to
this Day, tho' many Mixtures, by crofs-breed-
ing, has been among thefe feveral Kinds, yet
the Colours always bear a Proportion accord-
ing to the Mixture : If a Mulatto is generated
between a White and a Black, tht Mulatto's
Breed will be whiter or blacker, according as
they are begot or conceived by a White or a
Black : And fo, in like manner, are the Meftizos
begot between a White and Copper-colour'd In-
dtan : Nay the Features, and different-colour'd
Eyes and Hair, are generally preferved, where
Nations have been preferved unmix'd with
other Nations : The woolly Blacks of Guiney
and Gambia are diftinguifhed by their flat

Nofes^

Metaphyjical Efiay. 203

Nofes, and thick Lips, which are natural to
them, and not occafioned by any Force from
the Mother, by Cuftom ; whilil: the long-
hair'd Blacks have Features more like the
Whites, rais'd Nofes, and thin Lips. Thus,
where Nations are unmix'd, you will find whole
Nations with black Hair, as the Blacks are
every-where, and the Copper-colour'd Indians :
And probably the Hair of the Whites, in their
feveral original Nations, would have been each
of one Colour, fome white, others brown, or
black, or red, but from the crofs-breeding, thro'
the feveral Nations j by which Children from
the fame Parents have different Colours, the
Breed having been often crofs'd. The fame
Gbfervation will hold of the Colour of the Eye:
In fuch Nations who have not mix'd with
others from their Original, the Eye is always
the fame ; Where the Strain is crofs'd, the
Eyes alter, according to the feveral Mixtures.
How vaftly different are the Chinefe from us,
in their Features, by having preferved them-
felves unmix'd ; and feveral Tartar Nations,
who only intermarry in their own Nations ; as
the Circaffians^ admired thro' many Nations
for the Beauty of their Faces and Complexions !
Nay, is it not a thing notorious, that xh^Jews^
by preferving themfelves in a great meafure un-
mix^d, are diftinguifh'd almoll every-where by
their Likenefs to each other ?

This original Variety, ftiU preferved where
there is no Mixture, and varying only where

there

204- ^ Mifcellaneous

there are Mixtures, and jufl in proportion to
thefe Mixtures, is next to a Demonftration, ta
me, that different Nations in the Globe have
had different original Parents -, and that Num-
bers were created at firft, Earth-born, or Ab-
origines, in the feveral Climates and Regions
on this Globe.

Upon the Whole, after the ftrideft philofo-
phical Inquiry that can be -made, I believe it
will be found to be more confiftent Vv4th the
Ways of Providence, that as Vegetables and
Animals were originally formed in fufficient
Numbers, in different Regions of the Globe ;
fo likewife, in different Climates and Coun-
tries, God Almighty at firft created Men, in
fufficient Numbers to the reft gf the inferior
Beings, from their original Seeds, in a beauti-
ful Variety- to command, fubdue, and make
ufe of the feveral Animals and Plants given to
them for Food and Pleafure, as well as for
their other Ufes : And thus the Divine Being
adled conliftently with himfelf in other Parts
of the Creation, and difplay^ his Divine Wif-
dom in keeping up the beautiful Variety we
obferve throughout the Univerfe.

The chiefeft Objecflion to this, is. That
Mofes, in his Account, feems to be intirely
filent about it, or at leaft does not direcflly
mention it: And the whole Tenor of the Holy
Scriptures feems to infinuate, that Adam was
the firft Man, and that he was the Father of
the whole human Species^ all the Nations

• of

Metaphyftcal Eflay. 205

of the Globe being the liTue of his Loins :
And this vulgar Interpretation feems to have
the greater Weight, becaufe we are all fup-
pofed to have fallen in Adam ; and are Par-
takers of his original Sin and Guilt, upon this
very Account of his being our common Parent;
and, by being defcended from him, we are
Partakers of his Crime : But as there are feve-
ral Pafliiges in the Writings of Mofes, which
cannot be eafily explained upon this Plan, of
there having been no Men in the World before
Adam ; and that the Scheme of Providence
can't be fo well fupported, upon Suppofition
that we all fufFer for his Crime, tho* we were
not acftually concerned in his original Sin ; and
fince there is a much greater Prefumption from
Reafon, as well as from the Defcription of the
the Fall of Adam^ as already mentioned, from
the Second and Third Chapters of Genefis^ that
it has a fecret veil'd Meaning, as well as a lite-
ral Meaning ; and that Adam is not to be taken
as an Individual in that Hiftory, but for the
whole Mafs of Mankind, the humlin Species,
when they were an Order of Angels, before
their Lapfe ; in an asthereal Paradife, before
they were debafed and fent to people this Globe;
and, in the literal Way, Adam is fet forth there
as a Type of our Saviour -, and, in the Fifth
Chapter, as Father of Seth^ he is handed down
to us as a Man formed extraordinarily by God,
as Head of the Church, and of the Jewijh
Nation ; from whom our Saviour was to de-

fcend.

20 6 A Mtfcellaneom

fcend, to continue down in his Line the Wor-=
/hip of the true God and Religion, the Myftery
of our Redemption, to the Gentiks, tht Aborts
gines^ difperfed thro' the World, to the time
of our Saviour's coming in the Flefh, when
our Redemption was completed ; I beg to be
indulged fo far, as to explain feveral of the
Texts of Scripture that treat upon that Subject ;
and to fliew Reafons from them to confirm the
Opinion, that there were more Men created
at firfl: than one, and that the Earth was fully
peopled before the Formation of Ada?7i^ per-=
haps for many Ages before.

If we follow the Text literally, and fuppofe
a Six Days Creation, of twenty-four Hours
Length, fuch as we now have, it feems plain,
that Men w^ere made the fixth Day, that is, a
Plurality, more than one ; for he made them
Male ai^id Female, that is, feveral Individuals o£
the human Species, that Day : For God faid^
Let us make Ma?iy that is, Mankind, not a
fingle Man ; and let them have Dominiojiy &c,
So God created Man, Male and Female created
he them^ and blejfed them : So that here is a
plain Indication of a Creation of a Plurality,
Male and Female : And this it is plain could
not be Adam and Eve, if we are to take them,
according to the literal Meaning in the Second
Chapter, for Individuals ; for there it feems
plain, that Adam was not made in the Six Days
Creation, but after the Creation, after the
Planting of the Garden of Eden ^ which, as it
6 was

MetapJoyJtcal Eflay. 207

was not mentioned in the former Creation, it
is to be fuppofed it was regularly planted after
the Creation 5 and, when it was grown to Per-
fection, then Adam was formed and placed ia
it, to cultivate it ; and there he made all his
Obfervations upon the Nature of Animals and
Plants, giving to them all Names from their
feveral Natures, which were recorded, and
handed down to the time of Mofes -, for he
fays, whatever he called them, that was then
their Name : It was after this Tranfadion,
which took up a confiderable time, that Eve
was formed : There not being found a Female,
among all the Aiorighies, that v/as a proper
Help for AJaniy they being all in a State of
Nature, without Religion, God thought pro-
per to have a feledl Woman as a Help for him,
as well to convey down true Religion by a new
Race, in whofe Line the Meffiah was to ap-
pear, as to inflrud: the Aborigines in the Know-
lege of the true God : So that this took up a
confiderable time, and could not be within the
Six Days Creation, if we fuppofe Adajn grew
and increafed in Knovvlege and Stature, from
the time of his firil Formation, until he came
to be a perfed: Man, as it feems reafonable to
believe he did ; otherwife he could not have
been a perfed Type, of our Saviour 'Jefui
Chriji^ who increafed in Stature and Know-
lege from his Birth : So that, if the literal
JVIeaning is followed, Adam and £^v could not
have been formed at the firft Creation : But if

this

2oS A Mifcellaneou^

this whole Defcription be an Account hid frorii
the Vulgar by a Veil, as I have endeavoured to
fhew, from the philofophic Cabala^ extraded
by Dodlor Henry More ; then the individual
jddam^ which Mofes treats of, was not the fole
Father of the human Species, but only of
Cahiy Ahel^ and Seth^ the Original of the
Jewifi Race, but not of the Ge?ttiles, who
are often called the Sons of Men, they being
the Defcendents of the Aborigines^ whofe
original Fathers were not known.

For if we take the Text literally, and fup-
pofe no Men in the World but thofe who de-
icended from Adam^ we muft believe, that
there was none of the human Race alive when
Eeth was born, except AdarA^ Eve^ and Cain 3 '
for Abel left no liTue, and Adam had none hz-
ivjixiAbel and Seth-^ for, when he was born,
Eve faid. She had got another Seed, inftead of
Abely whom Cain flew : Confequently, Abel
left none, nor had Adam any until he had
Seth i after which he had Sons and Daughters :
Yet when Cain was punifhed for the Murder
of his Brother, he is faid to go out a Fugitive
from Society, and when he committed the
Murder, he is faid to have gone into the Field
to do it, that is, from Company, tho' it would
feem, that only Ada?n and Eve were in Being ;
and when he was fent to Nod, Eaflward from
Eden^ which was called fo in thofe Days, it
being never mentioned by that Name after-
wardS;, he took his Wife with him : From

whence

Metaphyseal Eflay. 209

whence was fhe, if Adam had no Daughters
until after Seth was born, as it is plain he had
not, otherwife they would have been recorded
before, as well as after Seth\ Birth ? And if it
fliould be objected, that he might have Daugh-
ters fooner, tho' they were not mentioned,
that is begging the Queftion ; for if Adam
might have had Daughters, and Mofes was
filent in it, is it not from Mofes % Silence, about
any other Men being formed before Adam^
that is the Reafon alleged why there fliould be
none ? And ought not his Silence to be allowed
in one Cafe, as well as the other, to be a good
Reafon, if any at all ? Then where could Cain
have his Wife, if not from the Gentiles, the
Sons of Men, the Aborigines ? Mofes fays, Cain
was a Tiller of the Ground : From whence had
he the Inftruments of Tillage, unl efs fome Ar-
tificer were before him to make them ? He was
likewife afraid, that every one who met him
fhould flay him ^ tho' he went many hundred
Miles away from Adam, and his Pofterity -, to
prevent which God fet a Mark upon him, and
pronounced Vengeance againft thofe who
fhould do it: If no Perfon was then in the
World but Adam^ and he had not Seth until
he was One hundred and thirty, and Cain was
removed from him many hundred Miles, the
Vengeance God pronounced would feem nuga-
tory, and not to be attributed to the Divine
Being, if there was no real Danger ; nor
could Cain^ Fright be great^ if he apprehended

P no

2IO A Mifcellaneous

no Danger until fome Ages afterward, when
Adam's and his own Iflue were multiplied up-
on the Earth. He, after this, upon the Birth
of his firft Son, built a City, which he called
after his Name, Enoch. The diftinguifhing the
City by a Name, prefuppofes that there were
Cities of other Names, in the World, at that
time ', as well as his going to the Land of
Nod fhews that there were diftindl Regions
and Nations at that time ; but, upon the Sup-
pofition, that none were in that Country but
Cain^ who were to build that City ? Who to
make Tools, and prepare Materials, burn
Bricks, hew Stone, cut down and prepare
Timber, make Iron for the Tools, (Sc, ? And
when the City was built, who was to inhabit
it ? His Wife and he could not do it ; his Son
was too young to affift him. To what End was
it built ? Two or three Rooms were fufficient
for his Family for a Generation, and a large
Houfe might have ferved for two or three
Generations ; for, notwithftanding they lived
to a great Age, they were not very prolific, as
I fhall ihew hereafter. Befides, if we can give
any Credit to Jofephus, who knew all the
Traditions of the Jews, he fays, that Cain got
together from all Parts Companions, that were
profligate Monfters ; abandoned himfelf to his
Luft, and enriched himfelf by Rapine and
Plunder ; and for this Purpofe built a City ; fo
that it is plain, that he believed, that tjie World
was peopled in Adam's Time, by otiiers, not

his

Metaphyjical Eflay.- 211

his Defcendents. Some Generations afterwards,
\vhen Arts and Sciences were improved, Tubal-'
Cal?i is not faid to be the Founder of Arts in
Metals, but only an Inilrudlor in fuch Arts ;
that is, he improved upon thofe who went be-
fore him of the Aborigi?jes ; for if any of
his Fathers had been the Founder of that Art,
he would not have been overlooked, and the
Honour have been given to him. Thus, when
yubal is faid to be the Father of all fuch as
handle the Harp and Organ, it is not to be fup-
pofed, that his Family were the only Mufi-
cians, but that he was moft excellent that way,
and brought it to great Perfedtion. He fays
afterwards. When Seth begat Eiios^ then be-
gan Men to call upon the Name of the Lord.
It may be fuppofed, that Adam, and his other
Sons, with Seth, called upon the Name of the
Lord before, tho' Cain had left him as a Re-
probate ; but the Meaning feems to be, that
then they began to inftruvfl others to adore
and worfliip the Divine Being, by forming
Aflemblies, and preaching to the Aborigines ,
and then Men, the Sons of Men, the Gentiles^
began to own and call upon the Name of the
Lord, the MefTiah, whom they preached.

After this Mofes begins the JewiJJj Gene-
alogy from Adam^ the Man formed extraordi-
narily, as a Type of our Saviour, the Founder
of that feled Race 3 but, by way of Preface, he
fays. In the Day that God created Man in
general, Male and Female created he them,

P 2 and

212 A Mifcellaneous

and called their general Name Adanty at that
Period of Time when they were created : But
this individual Adam^ the Original of the yewifi
Line, and Propagator of the true Religion, the
Type of the Meffiah, begat a Son, after his
Likenefs, in his own Image, and called his
Name Seth ; that is, he begata Son, who handed
down divine Truths and Myfteries, wdiich
Cain did not 3 and thus the Succeffion is carried
on to Enochy a Man more eminently good and
divine than the reft, whom God excepted
from the general Mortality of Mankind ; fo
that he was not -, he did not lleep, or go into
the State of Silence ; for God took him : As he
was the feventh in Defcent from Adam^ there
feems to be a Myftery couched in it ; the Firft
Refurredion, the Millennium, may be in the
feventh Millenary from Adam.

But to proceed : And it came to pafs, when
Men began to multiply upon the Earth, and
Daughters were born unto them, that the Sons
of God faw the Daughters of Men, that they
were fair and comely^ and they took them Wives
of all whom they chofe. Thefe Sons of God are
fuppofed only to be the Sons of Seth -, but why
all the Sons of Adam begot before or after
Seth, even thofe of Cain, fhould not be
called alfo the Sons of God, I can give no
Reafon for. St. Luke, in his Genealogy of
our Saviour, fays, Adam was the Son of God j
and therefore all his Defcendents ought : Nor
do I think it a good Reafon to fay, that Cain^

Pofterity

Metaphyjtcal Eflay. 213

Pofterity fhould forfeit their Title to it, be-
caufe he was guilty of Murder, more than any
other of SetlS^ Line, who were probably guilty
of as bad Crimes : But after this follows,
• T'kat there were Giants o?i the Earth in thofe
Days -y and alfo^ when the Sons of God came
unto the Daughters of Men, and they bore
Children to them^ the fame became mighty Men^
which were of old^ Men of Renown. This
feems as plain, with the foregoing Text, as
Words can exprefs it, that there was a Race
different from the Adamic^ upon the Earth ;
that thefe, many of them, were of gigantic
Stature, to whom the Children of Adam were
but as Graflioppers in their Sight, as it is ex-
prefled afterwards by Mofes \ and, when the
Sons of Adam intermarried with their IlTue,
they begat Children of large Stature, who be-
came mighty Men. Thefe Men of great Bulk
and Strength were of great Renown in thofe
Days of Rapine and Wickednefs : Thofe Inter-
marriages drew away the Defcendents oi Adam
from true Religion, and the Worfliip of the
true God, and degenerated the Race of Adam^
which God Almighty defigned to have preferv-
ed pure and unmixed from the Race of the
Gentiles^ thofe Sons of Men ; but at laft thefe
Intermarriages became fo general, that none
were left without Mixture, bat Noah^ and his
Family ; and of courfe were drawn away by
thefe fair Daughters of the Gentiles^ from
Truth and Religion to all manner of Wicked -
P ? nefs ;

214 A Mifcellaneous

nefs 5 following their natural Appetites with-
out any Regard to the Law which had been
promulged by Adam, As this was contrary to
the Intention of Providence, who propofed a
chofen Race to defcend unmixed from Adam^
in whofe Line the Mefliah ihould take Flefh ;
and that this Line ihould hand down divine
Truth, and preach it as well to the Gentiles as
to the Jeisos ^ it grieved him to find, that they
had all rebelled, and gone aftray ; and, finding
none were left perfed: and unmixed but Noah'^
Family, for a Warning to them, and a Punifli-
ment to the others, he refolved to extirpate all
the Adamic Race from the Face of the Earth 5
and preferve only Noah, and his Family, to pre-
ferve the Line pure, and hand down the di-
vine Oracles and Mylleries of our Redemption,
to the Time of the Meffiah. This feems to me
more agreeable to Reafon, to the Phacnomena
in the World, and even to the Tenor of Scrip-
ture, and the Difpenfations of Providence,
than to fuppofe, that Noah's Flood was univer-
fal, and that the whole human Species, Ge?2^
tiles as well as Jews, were deftroyed, except
Noah, and his Family, and that this Curfe even
extended to all Beings that breathed upon the
Earth : And tho' the Mojdic Account in general
feems to make it univerfal, according to the
Flights of the Eaftern Way of Writing, yet,
when we compare thele Texts with others,
and give way to the Style, wherein all along
the Jewifi Race, by way of Eminence, pafs

for

Metaphyjtcal Eflay. 215

/or all Mankind, the Gentiles being efteemed
no better than Beafts ; the Land of the Jews^
by way of Eminence, paffing for the whole
Earth -, I hope to make it appear, both from
Reafon, and the Tenor of Scripture, that the
Deluge was intended only to punifh and deftroy
the Adamic Race, who had all difobeyed^ and
became wicked, except Noah^ and his Family.

In my Obfervations upon the Nature of
Noah's Flood, and the Univerfality of it, I
fhall firft take notice and obferve upon the
feveral Texts of Scripture that relate to it ; and,
from the Tenor of Scripture, and other parallel
Texts, confider, whether it may be reafonable
to reftrain their Signification, as is done in
other Places -, and afterwards I iliall confider it
both from Reafon and Hiftory ; and then leave
the Whole to the Judgment of the Reader,
which feems mod agreeable to Truth, Reve-
lation, and Philofophy.

When God firft declares his Intention of de-
ftroying Man from the Face of the Earth by
a Deluge, for his degenerating from the Ways
of Truth, Mofes fays. For Noah alone of all
that Race had behaved well, and found Favour
in the Sight of God ; for the Lord faid, Come^
thou andthyHoufe^ mto the Ark-, jor thee I have
fee?! righteous before me in this Generation, Now,
tho* before it is expreffed in general, that God
would deftroy all Flefh from the Face of the
Earth, as well Beafts and creeping Things, as
Men 5 yet the Reafon for faving Noah^ and his
P 4 Family,

2i6 A Mifcellanems

Family, feems to confine it; For thee I have
fetrn righteous in this Generation^ that is, of this
peculiar Generation oi Adam ; for, by mention-
ing this Generation, it would feem to intimate,
that there was another Generation ; but the
Heinoufnefs of the Crime was, that this Gene-
ration, the Defcendents of Adam^ whom he
had formed on Purpofe to hand down divine
Truths, fhould have all degenerated and apo-
ftatized, by intermarrying with the Gentiles:
and the Curfe was intended again ft them and
their Cattle^ and the Earth they inhabited, to
deftroy the Whole, as a Judgment upon them^
and a Warning for Noah's Pofterity, not to be
guilty of the like Crimes after the Flood.

The Mofaic Account feems exprefs in
general, that the whole Earth was covered
with Waters ; and all Flefti, in whom was the
Breath of Life, died from the Face of the
Earth, only Noah^ and thofe preferved in the
Ark : But fevera! Texts, tho* exprefled in
Generals, admit of a reftrained Signification ^
the whole Earth, the Heavens, and fuch-like
ExpreflionSj fignifying no more, than the Re-
gion of yudady fometimes the flat Country in
Afia adjoining to it, or the Atmofphere that
covers thofe Countries. Then, when he fays^
l^he Mountains ivere covered under the whole
Heaven \ it may fignify no more, than in
Deuteronomy : To- day will I begin to fend thy
Fear and Terror upon the Nations which dwelt
under the whole Heaven ; which was only in-
i tended

Metaphyfical Effay. 217

tended over the Land of Falcejline ; for no
Countries at any great Diftance from thence
had then probably heard of the "^ews^ except
Egypt ^ Syria, and Arabia. Thus, in the ABs
of the Apoilles, it is faid, Inhere ^were dwelling
in Jerufalem, Jews, devout Men out of every
Nation under Heaven : In the Epiftle to the
ColoJJians, it is faid, Which is preached unto
every Creature which is under Heaven : In
I Kings^ Obadiah fays to Elijah^ As the Lord
liveth, there is no "Nation or Kingdom whither
my Lord hath not fent to feek thee -, a?2d, when
they faid. He is not there, he took an Oath of the
Kingdom and Nation, that they found thee not.
There are many more Texts of the fame Na-
ture, which I need not mention -, but only
that, upon the Darknefs of our Saviour's Cruci-
fixion, I can't omit, which is faid to be over
the whole Earth, yet probably extended no
farther than the Land of Judcea : Otherwife
fuch a remarkable Darknel's of the Sun at the
Time of the FuU-m.oon, of three Hours Con-
tinuance, from Twelve at Noon until Three,
which was near Noon in moft Parts of the
Roman Empire, and not much later in Chaldea,
where Aftronomy w^as in Perfedion, as alfo in
Egypt and Greece^ mufl have been mentioned
by all the Aftronomers and Hiflorians who
wrote at that Time, and none have mentioned
it but Dionyfius the Areopagite,

In the Mofaic Hebrew Text, there are two
Words made ufe of to exprefs Earth, Adamah

and

2 1 8 A Mijcellaneom

and Aretz, I fhould therefore imagine, that
there fhould be fome Diftindion in the Mean-
ing. Probably, Adamah may be the Earth
peopled by the Sons of Adam^ and Aretz the
Earth in general. In the Account given of
the Flood, except in one or two Places, it is
mentioned by the WoxA Adamah-, as, And all
Flejh died from the Face of the Earth (from
Adamah) ; fo that it may be confined to the
Earth inhabited by the Sons oi Adam: Whether,
in the two Inftances, Aretz be copied wrong
or not, I leave to the Judgment of the Reader.

Since then all thefe Texts muft be reftrained
and limited in their Signification, ought not
thefe general Texts, in relation to the Deluge,
by the fame Parity of Reafon, in cafe the
Univerfality of the Deluge appears inconfiftent
with the Ways of Providence and Reafon, and
the other Parts of Scripture, as well as of the
earlieft Hiilories ; I fay, ought not thefe to be
reftrained, and fignify only fo much of the
Earth as was peopled by the apoftate Sons of
Adam, in order to give Noah and his Sons a
new^ Field to proceed in, to convey down true
Religion to loft Mankind, the Aborigines ? So
that, I think, thefe general Expreffions from
the Mofaical Text, upon giving proper Allow-
ances for the rhetorical Flights in the Eaftern
manner of Writing, and efpecially of the Jews,
whole People, being a feled: chofen Race, di-
ftinguifl^ed by God Almighty, by their Delcent
from Adam, defpifed the Gentiles, as a Race

fcarce

Metaphyseal EfTay. 219

fcarce human, calling them Sons of Men,
Sinners, Beads, ^c, and calling themfelves
Sons of God, and the Country wherein they
lived, the Holy Land^ and fometimes the
Earth, by way of Pre-eminence ; I fay, thefe
Texts can't be a fufficient Evidence for fup-
porting the Univerfality of the Deluge, with-
out further Proof from Reafon and Hiftory.

In the New Teflament, where it is men-
tioned by St. Peter^ he fays only, that eight
Perfons were faved in it; but does not fay, that
the reft of the human Race were deftroyed :
And Jofephus^ one of their own Hiftorians,
feems to be of Opinion, that the Deluge was
not univerfal -, when, writing againft Apion^
he mentions Berofus, a Gentile Writer, and
fays. He has wrote of the Ark, in which the
chief of our Family were preferved 3 implying
that, of their yewijh Anceftors, only NooIj
was faved, and his Family, the Defcendents
of Adam, the Founder of their Race, which
was diftindt from the Race of the Gentiles,

But an Objed:ion may be ftarted. That fince
I allow, that all the Pofterity of y^dam were
deftroyed, except Noah, and his Family, that, in
the nine Generations before the Flood, there
might have been fuch an Increafe of Adajii^
Pofterity, that the whole Globe might have
been peopled by that time, from the Longevity
of thefe Antediluvians, To this I anfwer. That,
by comparing, and confidering carefully, what
Mofes relates, I believe it will be found, that

Adam,

2 20 A Mi/cellaneous

Adam^ and his Pofterity, were far from being-
prolific before the Flood.

I have already mentioned, that the general

Law of Increafe and multiply ^ given by God at

the firft Creation, was given to the Gentiles ^

the Aborigiiies, and not to Adam ; nor was

there Realbn to give it to Adam, if the Earth

was peopled before his Time ; for then he was

brought into the World by the Divine Being to

be the Head of a felecft Race, from whom the

Meffiah was to defcend according to the Flefli,

and to convey and promulgate his Law, divine

Truth and Myfteries, to lapfed Mankind, the

Gentile Aborigines : And, if fo, Longevity was

not given to that Race to propagate Mankind,

and people the Earth, but to preach, and in-

flrud: the feveral Nations then upon the Globe -,

and tho' Cains Family might be fuppofed to

have increafed faft by his building a City, yet

I think it is plain, that it was not peopled by

his liTue, but by thofe who built it, who were

upon the Earth before him, one of whofe

Daughters he had married.

By comparing the Time of the Antediluvians
beginning to get Children, by the Mofaic Ac-
count, with the Time of Noah's Pofterity's be-
ginning to get Children after the Flood, and
the Numbers begot after the Flood, wherein,
had the Flood been univerfal, there w^as an
equal Neceflity of a great and fpeedy Increafe,
and reafoning from thefe Accounts, it appears
plainly, that they were neither anxious nor

defirous

Metaphyftcal Effay. 221

defirous of having many Children, nor really
defignedit; for before the Flood we don't find
by the Vulgate Account, that any began to be-
get Children fooner than at Sixty-five Years of
Age, moft of them not till they were One
hundred, and fome from One hundred and
Sixty-two to One hundred and Eighty-feven,
before they began; which fliews, it was not the
principal View they had, or Providence defigned,
the Peopling of the Earth. But it may be
urged, That thefe were not the eldefl Sons that
were the Genealogy from Adam to Noah ; but
each might have many Sons born before thofe
mentioned. It might poffibly be fo ; but I think
the Probability and Reafon is abfolutely on the
'other Side of the Queftion ; For, fir ft, Mofes
always takes notice where the natural Prieft-
hood, which went with the eldeft Son of the
Family, was changed fi'om the elder to the
younger Branch ; as here, from Cain to Scth^
and afterwards from Efau to Jacob, Befides,
if Sons and Daughters had been got before
thofe mentioned in the Genealogy, they would
have been equally recorded by Mofea as thofe
got after ; otherwife his is no faithful Record,
and nothing can be built either upon his Silence,
or what he relates ; and then our Reafoning
from his Writings at all is to no Purpofe : But,
from what he records, it is plain, that Adam^
from Abel until Seth was born, got none ; and
then he was One hundred and Thirty ; tho', if
he grew up from Infancy, probably, botli

Cain

2 22 A Mifcellaneous

Cain and Abel might have been born before
he was Forty ; or, if we believe with others,
that he was formed a perfect Man, they might
have been born much fooner. We find alfo,
that Noah was five hundred Years old, before
he had any ; and Sbem, Ha?7i, and Japhef, were
One hundred each, before they had any : For if
Noah had any Sons before thofe, or if they had
any, they would have been preferved in the
Ark : And to fuppofe that he had others, and
that they died before the Flood, can't be al-
lowed, from the Health and Longevity of thefe
Antediluvians ; otherwife the Objedlion form-
ed is of no Force, the Increafe being fuppofed
fo great from their Longevity.

Let us alfo obferve thofe born for tv/o or
three Ages after the Flood, when, if the Flood
was univerfal, there was as great a Necefllty of
peopling the Globe as before ; and we flmll
find they did not begin to beget Children foon,
the' their Lives were much fhorten'd -, nor had
they any great Number of Children, many not
above three or four Sons ; and thofe who had
moft, not above eight or ten : And here there is
no room for fuppofing more, becaufe Mofes is
particular in mentioning all the Sons born to
each, upon the Divifions of the Nations among
them ; tho' in that Divifion we muft obferve^
that no Countries are mentioned, but thofe in
the Neighbourhood of the yews -, and, if there
had been any others, he would not have failed
mentioning them ^ otherwife the Divifions of

the

Metaphyftcal Effay. 223

the feveral Nations and Countries among them
had not been faithfully related, if there were
others Partakers of the Divifion. I think
therefore it is plain, that all are mentioned
that were born, or lived to get Children ; and,
of thefe, only Jokfan had thirteen ; all the reft
from four or five to ten. In Shem\ Succeffion,
until Abraham's TimQ^ not one begat Children
before Thirty, except Nahor at Twenty-nine,
who then begat Terab^ according to the Vul-
gate Account : But, if we follow the Samari^
tan^ then each was One hundred and thirty,
before they began to get Children ; which,
being later than when the Antediluvians gene-
rally began, does not feem to be the true Ac-
count ', but feems to have been inlarged, to
make the Numbers at the Confufion of Tongues,
and in the Time of Nimrod^ and in Abram\
Days, more credible, fince Abram was but
the tenth from Noah^ and born within 292
Years of the Flood.

From thefe few Hints we can bring toge-
ther, in this concife Account given by Mo/es^
it muft be allowed, that neither the Antediliu
mam^ nor the Defcendents of Noah^ were pro-
lific 3 and the early Marriages of the Antedilu-
vians with the Gentiles^ the Aborigines^ and
turning their Thoughts to carnal Pleafures, and
propagating with them, was one of the Faults
they were charged with by the Divine Being :
So that it feems plain to me, that Adam'^ Race
was fent to preach, and convey down Divine

Truths

2 24 -^ Mifcellaneous

Truths to thofe who were before them in a
State of Nature, formed every-where over the
Globe, after their general Lapfe from their
ethereal Paradife ; and, as a Punifhment, being
left to themfelves, without any Help but what
they had from their natural Reafon, without
any other Knowlege of God or Religion, until
after the Formation of Adam ; as the Hotten-
tots, and other barbarous Nations in Africa
and America^ have been in, probably from that
time, until our late Difcoveries, and fome who
have not been yet difcovered are at this Day :
To this End Longevity was given to Adam^
and his Race, to give their Doftrine more
Weight, and to give them a longer time to in-
creafe in Knowlege of the Divine Laws, and
beneficial human focial Arts and Sciences ^
which made them a kind of living Regifters,
and alfo more capable of civilizing and re-
claiming the Aborigines, than if they had a
frequent Succeffion of new People among
them.

But, that I may take all the Hints I can ga-
ther from Holy Writ together, before I con-
fider of the Improbability of the Deluge's be-
ino- univerfal from Reafon ; let us confider, if
none were left but Noah, and his Sons, upon the
whole Earth, how could fo many Cities be
built, and Empires formed, in fo few Years
after the Flood, as is mentioned ? We find
that S^hem\ Pofterity, who being Head of the
fele<a 'Jewifd Race, we may reafonably believe

his

Metaphyjtcal Effay. 225

ills Poflerlty were as long Livers as the De-
fcendents of Ham and Japhet^ that Eber his
Great Grandfon begat Peleg ninety-nine Years
after the Flood, in whofe Days the Earth was
divided, at the time of the Confufion of
Tongues. Now, from the Mofaic Account,
there could not be one hundred of S kern's
Pofterity at that time on the Earth, in pro-
portion to the Numbers begat by Shc7:% and
Arphaxad \ iox Shem had but five Sons, and
Arphaxad and Selah not many, and probably
his other Sons had not many. Japhet had
itwtn Sons, his Son Gomer three, and Javan
four ; yet by thefe, and their Brother s Sons,
were the Ifles of the Gentiles divided.

Hajn had four Sons, his Son CnJI^ five, be-
{idcs Ni?m'od, who was probably born within lets
than fifty Years of the Flood -, and yet, within.
one hundred Years after that, he had formed a
mighty Empire ; and, in the Beginning of his
Reign, he had built four large Cities, Babel^
Enoch^ Accad, and Calnah, when it can't be
prefumed there were near two hundred ot
Ham^ Pofterity upon the Earth } nor of all
Noah's Pofterity, at the Building of Babel, and
general Difperfion, near five hundred : Yet,
among fo fmall a Number, they would have
the whole Afiatic Continent, with the Euro-
pean and African, to be divided, when they
could fcarcely people a reafonable Village ; and
at the lame, time Mofes mentions the Building
of Cities, and Eredinc; of Empires. But it is

2 26 A Mifcellaneous

eafy to reconcile thefe Accounts, if we fuppofe
only the flat Country of Afia deftroyed by the
Flood, in which the Defcendents of Adam
lived, who, in nine Generations, were not
many, as may be made plainly to appear, by
their generating fo flowly, until they began to
intermarry Vv^ith the Aborigines : For it is plain
that they did not, for four or five Generations
at leaft after Adam^ begin to marry with the
Gentiles ; for it is faid. When Men began to
multiply upon the Earth, and Daughters were
born to them, that the Sons of God, or Adam,
Jaw the Daughters of Men, and took them^
Wives : Which muit have been after Adam's
Sons began to multiply ; which, as they gene-
rated flowly, might have been not till fome
time after Adam's Death, who probably might
have kept his Defcendents, during his time,
unmix'd from the Gentile Race : So that, if
only thefe fu fleered, and thofe Gentiles who
were intermixed with them, and that all the
refl: of the Gentiles were preferved ; then it is
eafy to account for thefe Cities being built, and
Empires formed fo early, and their feparating to
civilize, infl:ru6l, and govern the Aborigines ; and
then thefe Texts (Among thefe were the Ifles of
the Gentiles divided, in their Lands^ every one
after his Tongue, after their Families, in their
Nations ^ and again. By thefe were the Nations
divided in the Earth after the Flood) may be
eafily and naturally explained ; That the Lands
and Nations of the Gentiles were divided among

the

Metaphyfical Effay. 227

the Sons of Noah^ according to their Tongues
and Families > that is, they divided and dif-
perfed themfelves among each of thofe Nations,
according to the feveral Tongues oi thQ Abori-
gines, to inftrud:, civilize, and govern them.
Befides, upon this Suppofition, a much better
Reafon may be given for the Building of Ba-
bel, and Confufion of Tongues, than by the
common Opinion of the Univerfality of the
Deluge : For we may fuppofe, that Noah^ and
his Family, defcending from the Mountains of
Armenia into the delightful Plains of Shinar,
made ftill more fertile by the Flood, finding
that their Forefathers and Friends had been all
deftroyed, becaufe they intermarried with Ab-
origines^ and had polluted their Race, and had
been feduced by them from the Paths of Vir-
tue and true Religion to the Worfliip of falfe
Gods, and all other immoral Pradices ^ it was
reafonable to think they would keep together,
arid not intermix again with the Gentiles :
They therefore, when they began to increafe,
would not feparate, but defigncd to ered: a
Kingdom, and build a City and Tower, that
might make then* Name formidable, and reach
unto Heaven j and, by their Knowlege in Arts
and Sciences, and by their V/o'rks, they might
make all the Nations around them afraid of
them J and perhaps make Slaves of them, and
bring them under their Dominion : For it was
highly improbable, that in a Plain they fhiould
attempt to build a Tower to preferve them

0^2 from

2-28 A Mifcellamoui

from a fecond Deluge, which God had cove-
nanted not to bring upon them : Nor was the
Foundation of the Tower any-way proper to
contain fuch a Number of People as were ne-
eeffary to build it : But their Defign of living
together being alfo abfolutely inconliftent with
the Will of God, who had preferved them as
well to civilize and propagate true Religion
among the Geritiles^ as to continue down a di-
flind: Race to the time of the Meffiah ; he
thought proper to prevent their Defign of
building a City, and living in one Community :
And, as nothing was fo effedual to promote
their Separation, as confounding their Language,
and giving them different Tongues, nor could
be of greater Advantage, upon their feparating
to iniirucl barbarous Nations of different Tongues
and Originals, than to give them the feveral
Languages of the Gentiles, to enable them to
bring them to the Knowlege of true Religion
and Piety ; God Almighty might think proper
either to do it miraculoufly, by infufing it into
them, as was done afterwards to the Apoftles,
by which fome might know one Language,
and others the feveral other Languages of the
Aborigines -, or might bring it about without
a Miracle, in cafe we fuppofe Noah^ and his
Defcendents, had fuch a fuperior Knowlege,
not only of Religion and Virtue, but of the fe-
veral Arts and Sciences beneficial to Mankind,
which the Aborigines wanted in their State of
Nature : And therefore many of the Gentiles

depended

Metaphyseal ElTay. 229

depended upon them, and came to fee their
Work, and gave them their Affiftance in builds
jng the Tower; and, by their different Tongues,
the feveral Sons of Noah learned their different
Languages, and went each with the different
Tribes, according to their Language ; and thus
they inftrucfled, civiHzed, and prefided over
them : From whence Nimrod was called, The
mighty Himter before the Lord^ becaufe he ci-*
vilized moil ; and by that means, having got
the Empire over them, he laid the Foundation
of his mighty Empire, and built the feveral
Cities mentioned by Mofes : For it is probable,
that the Aborigines^ from the Beginning, were
m the State of Nature, having no greater De-
gree of Reafon than they could attain without
Education or Government ; and, for that Rea-
fon, fubmitted wiUingly to the Sons of Noah,
whilfl they preferved their Religion and Vir-
tue, and only beitewed Benefits upon them, by
civilizing and inftruding them. Thus the firft
Ages after Noah^ among the Heathen Gentiles^
were called the Reign of the Gods : As thefe, in
time, began to degenerate, they were fucceeded
by a Pynafty of Heroes ; and, in Procefs of
Time, their Succeffors degenerated into Men,
there being no Diftindlion in Time betwixt them
and the Delcendents of the Aborigines^ by
their Intermarriages, and the proper Inftrur
ftions given to the Gentiles % except the Family
of Jacob^ which was feparated by God, and
^5.ept diflindt Jind unmix'd from the Race of

a 3 the

230 A Mifcellaneous

the Genu les', and, for that Reafon, married in
their own Tribes, and preferved their Genea-
logy.

Befides what I have already obferved, in,
relation to the Blacks, Copper-colour 'd, and
Whites, which are now in Being ; it feems
plain from Holy Writ, that the Gentiles were
of a Race diftindl from the Jews^ the Sons of
Noah: It appears alfo, I think, very plain,
that there were Men on the Earth, mAbrahains
Days, who were not defcended from Noah ;
who were thofe born Servants to Abraham in
his Family, and bought with his Money of
Strangers, whom God allowed to be adopted
into his Family, upon their being circumcifed.
It can't be fuppofed, that thefe could be his
Brethren of the Seed of Noah : He was but
the tenth from him, and was fifty-eight Years
of Age when Noah died : And is it to be fup-
pofed, that Noah's Children, in his Life-time,
were born Slaves and Servants to their Brethren,
or bought and fold like Cattle ? What Right
could any have to do it ? Or what Neceffity for
any to fell themfelves ? If there were no Inha-
bitants but the Sons of Noah, there was Land
and Food enough for all ; and therefore they
would not choofe to make Slaves of themfelves.
If it could be fuppofed, that the elder Brother
had a Right over his Brethren, then Abraham,
and the Defcendents of Shem, fhould have fub-
mitted to Japhet. Were the Defcendents of
Ham only made Slaves, becaufe of Noah'^

curling

Metaphyfical Effay. 231

curling Ham ? How then came thofe mighty
lEmpires under Nimrod and N'mus^ the De-
fcendents of Ham^ and all the Kingdoms of
Canaan^ divided among ft, and poffefled by, his
Offspring ? It feems therefore plain, that no
fuch Slavery w^as among" Noah's Pofterity in
Abrahams time, either through NeceiTity or
Right ^ and that Eleazer of Damafcus^ and
others born in Abrahams Family, v^ere of the
Sons of the Ge?itiles, of Strangers, whofe ori-.
ginLiJ Fathers were not known : And this is the
Reafon of St. PauH Obfervation upon our Sa-
viour's being defcended from Ifaac rather thaa
Ijlrmael \ becaufe Hagar, from whorn he de-
fcended, was a Bondwoman of the Race of
the Gentiles ; but there was to be no Mixture
of the Gentile Blood in our Saviour's Genea-
logy ; for he, from both Sides, was to defcend
from Adam's Family.

There is another thing I can't pafs by unob-
ferved, which confirms me, that the Gentiles.
were of a Race different from Adam^ and they
were Aborigines formed out of the Earth be-
fore the time of Adam \ and that is, a Confe-
quence from this Text ir^ St. huke^ That the
Blood of all the Prophets^ that were floed from
the Foundation of the Worlds 7nay be required
of this Generation^ from the Blood c*/ Abel, ^c.
For fmce Abel was a Prophet, and the chief
Part of a Prophet's Bufineis was preaching and
teaching, and not prediding things to come ;
How could Abel have been efteemed a Prophet,

2 "s 2

A Mifcellaneous

if he had none to inftrud- ? But if it be allow'd
that he had People to civihze and inftrud, then
we may have a natural and eafy Way to ac-
count for the Acceptance of Jber^ Offering,
and the Non-acceptance of Cain's, and the
Occaiion ofCai?fs murdering his Brother ^^^/;
for they were manifeftly Types of the two Co-
venants of Nature and Grace. Ai?el was a
Keeper of Sheep, that is, an Inftru6tor of
People, a Civilizer and Converter of them to
the Laws of God and Society ; and endeavourd
to make them holy, and pure, and innocent as
Sheep, of which he was term'd the Keeper ^
and thus endeavoured to raife the Power of the
divine Life in them : Whereas Cain was a
Tiller of the Ground ; that is, he only in-
ftrudled them in fuch Parts of Nature as were
beneficial to them in their animal State, to
raife our animal Pleafures and Senfations ; fuch
as Building, Planting, increafing Property, and,
in fliort, gratifying all the Senfes with the
Lufls and Pleafures of the animal Life. After
they had feverally made a Proficiency in their
leveral Undertakings, each of them came with
their Tribute and Offerings to God Almighty :
Cain came with his Firft-fruits, which were
thofe v/hich he had inftruded in fuch Arts as
promoted animal Pleafures and Enjoyments,
the Fruits of the Ground, what we have from
our terreftrial and animal Nature : At the
fame time A6cl came with his Flock, whom
he had inftrufted in divine Truths, in whom

he

'Metaphyseal Effay. 233

fee had raifed the divine and fecial Virtues above
their animal Pleafures \ which v^as the better
Part which Mary chofe, when Martha was
incumbered with the Cares of the animal Life :
And God accepted the Offering of Abel^ which
he preferred to Cains^ as the divine Life ought
to be preferred to the animal j the Love of
God and our Neighbour before Self-love :
Therefore God defpifed Cains Offering, upon
his preferring the natural and animal Pleafures
before the divine : And the Divine Being, find-
ing him difgufled, faid^ ' Why are you angry ?
^ If you have choftn right, won't you be ac-
' cepted ? But if you have not, then you

* ought to be condemned : But, as you have
^ chofen the worft, fo the Pleafures of the

* animal Life ihall be yours, over which you
f fhall have the Dominion.' Upon this, Self
or Animal Love, which Cain had embraced,
having gotten the better of Social Love, Paflion,
of his Reafon, he facrificed his Brother to his
Refentment ; and was, upon that Account,
curfed, and removed from the Society of the
Faithful : And God faid, ' Thofe animal Plea-
fures which you have chofen lliall not be
fo great as you imagine : The Earth fliall
not yield her Strength, as you exped: : ^
Fugitive and Vagabond fliall you be in the
Earth : This Self-love which you have cho-
fen is the Bane of Society, and will feparate
Society into Fadions and Parties, and will
keep yp a perpetual Enmity am-ongft them,

* fetting

2 34 ^ Mifcellaneous

* fetting every Man's Sword againft thee, and
^ againft one another/ And Cain^ finding this
Curfe was the natural Confequence of his ani-?
mal Choice, faid, he v/as moft wretched in
having defpifed the divine Life, fupreme and
focial Love ; and, being confequently bani{l:»e4
from the Face of God, every one, thro' a Prin-
ciple of Self-love, fliould attempt to flay him ;
and fo begged an Abatement of his Doom ;
which God granted to him, by threatening fe-.
vere Vengeance againfl: thofe who fhould de-
ilroy him, or fhed Elood without a legal Power,
by fetting up their private Self-love, the Gra-
tifying of their PafJions, againft the Good of
Society : Thus God fet a Mark upon Cain^ and
limited the Vengeance to be taken of him for
the Murder of Abel, and the fooiifli Choice he
had made ; and thus he being banifhed from
Adanf^ Family, and his Followers and De-
fcendents being deprived of Grace, and the
Prefence of God, proceeded on in promoting
anhnal Pleafures, and following their animal
Appetites, building and adorning Cities, making
Tents, learning Mafic, and the feveral mecha-
nic Arts ; for which they were famous, having
bent all their Force and Genius in promoting
fuch animal Pleafures ; whilft the Sons of Setb
called upon the Name of the Lord, and pro-
pagated true Religion, and divine Truth and
Myfteries, until their Defcendents degenerated,
and fell into animal Pleafures, by intermarry-
ing witji the Defcendents of C(iin and the Gen-
tiles-

Metaphyseal Eflay, 235

tiles ; which brought the Flood upon them,
to deftroy their whole Generation, as already
mentioned.

Having thus fhewn, from Holy Writ, that
the general Texts relating to the Deluge may
reafonably admit of a reftrain'd Signification •
and that many of the Texts in the Mofaic Hi-
ftory can't be eafily explained, without fup-
pofing that the Flood was not univerfal ; I
fhall now confider the v/hole Account from
Reafon, and obferve upon it, as it is delivered
by MoJ'es; and then we may form a Judgment
whether it was intended by him to fhew there
W^s an univerfal DelugCa or not.

Firft, I {hall endeavour to {hew, that the
Deluge was not caufed by the abfolute Power
of God, by an immediate Creation of Waters,
and afterwards an Annihilation of them ; but
that, in this Deftrudtion of the Sons of Adam
by the Deluge, it was done by the Concur-
rence of Second Caufes, and by the Wifdom
and Forefight of God, w^hich is ever united
with his Power.

It is pretty clear, that in all the Miracle^
wrought, as mentioned in Holy Writ, God
Almighty performed them by his Power and
Knowlege in Nature, in Concurrence with Se-
cond Caufes 5 which, being above the common
Proceedings of Nature, are equally miraculous
to us ; as in the Plagues oi Egypt, the Deftruction
of Sodom, quelling of Storms, curing the Sick^
raifing the Dead, Qc. For we find, in the Plagues

of

^236 A Mifcellaneoiis

oi Egypt, many of them imitated by natural
Magic, and others by the Concurrence of Se-
cond Caufes; as bringing the Locufts by a
ftrong Eaft Wind, the Thunder and Hail, &c.
Sodom was deftroyed by Thunder, Lightning,
and an Earthquake; by a regular Shower, as it
is called, of Fire and Brimftone : So that it
is plain, that the Divine Being, in all his Mi-
racles, acled by miniftring Angels, and Second
Caufes ; by his Knowlege in Nature, as well as
by his Power. So in this Deluge we may ob-
lerve, that there was a regular Scheme of Pro-
vidence. The Flood was predicted by Noahy
when he preached to the Sons of Adam, and
acquainted them with it : An Ark was pre-
pared, by Direction of the Wifdora of God,
to preferve Noah, and his Family, and fuch
Beaftg and Fowl as it was thought neceffary for
him to preferve, during a Confinement which
lafted above a Year -, and alfo Provifion fuffici-
ent for them for fo long a time. It does not
appear, that thefe Animals came in of them-
felves by the Command of -God into the Ark ;
for God commanded Noah to take them, and
place them in the Ark, with fuch Provifions
as were then allowed to be eat, for Food iox
them : And it is faid that they went, as God
commanded Noah -, that is, Noah carried them
in, as he was ordered : So that, in all the Pro-
ceeding for Noah's Prefervation, we may ob-
serve Wifdom and Prudence going along with
iPower. At the time of the Flood v^e find the

fame:

MetaphyfiCal Eflay. 213^

fame : The Divine Being caufed a regular pro-
grefiive Rain of forty Days Continuance, and
opened the Fountains of the Deep; which
plainly fliews a Concurrence of Second Caufes,
Wifdom united with Power : For if God Al-
mighty defigned only to make ufe of his Power,
the Deluge and Deftrudiion might have been
inilantaneous, as well as the Prefervation of
Noah J and the Land Animals ; and therefore
the making the Ark, and all the Trouble Noah
was at in faving himfelf and Family, was nu-
gatory. All that can be anfwered is, that
during the time he was building it, he was
preaching, and warning the Sons of y^^^;;/, thaC
they might repent : But if the whole Globe
was peopled, to what a fmall Number could
he preach ? Only to thofe in a fmall Country
round him, perhaps within one hundred Miles:
So that this Anfwer is no- way fatisfactory. But,
upon the Hypothefis, that a fmall Part oi Afia
was under the Deluge, and that only Adam\^
or rather »S^//6s, Race was drowned, who, as we
have obferved, increafed very flowly, and had
not fpread far among the Aborigines -, then in-
deed Noalos Preaching to them might have
been of Ufe. I think it therefore very reafon-
able to believe, that the Flood was the EfFe(5t
of Wifdom, concurring by Second Caufes with
Power 3 and that there v/as no Exertion of the
Almighty Fiat in creating and again annihilate-
ing the Waters, and bringing all the feveral
Species and Under-Species of Beafts, Fowl, In-

leds.

238 A Mifcellaneous

fefts, and Reptiles, from all the Climates of
the Globe, the Frozen as well as Torrid Zones,
by Miracle into the Ark : Nor is there any
tolerable Reafon offered why the Deity fliould
curfe and deftroy the whole animal Creation
by Land, and let all the Fi(h and Watry In-
fects efcape.

I (hall now endeavour to fhew, that, with-
out we allow a Creation and Annihilation of
Waters, or bringing down vaft Quantities from
the Atmofpheres of Comets, which mull have
been again caught up by the Attraction of other
Comets, that no fuch univerfal Deluge could
have happened to this Globe, and it be again
reftored to the State in which we find it now^
without altering the whole Frame of Nature,
and miraculoufly turning Fluids into Solids at
once ; which is ftill begging the Queftion, be-
ing an Exertion of Almighty Power,

Let us firft confider the Quantity of Water
fufficient to cover the whole Globe, at leaft
two Miles perpendicular ; which muft have
been the Cafe, to have covered the Tops of the
higheft Mountains fifteen Cubits : For it is
made evident, that the Andes^ the Alps^ Cau-
cafuSy and other inland Mountains, muft be at
leaft fo much perpendicular from the Sea.
There are 200^000,000 of fquare Miles upon
the Surface of the Earth; and that doubled, be-
ing two Miles high, it would take 400,000,000
of cubical Miles of Water to cover the Globe
two Miles high. Now^ fince the Weight of

the

Metaphyfical ElTay. 239

the Air, and all the Fluids and Exhalations in the
whole Atmofphere, is but equal to the Height
of thirty-two Feet of Water, fuppofing the Air
itfelf to have no Weight, and that the whole
Weight of the Atmofphere was only accafioned
by Water^ and other Exhalations^ fufpended in
it, and the Whole could be converted into
Rain 3 it would cover the Earth but thirty-two
Feet deep 3 the whole Content of Vv^hich would
not make 12,000 cubical Miles; which being
deduded from 400,000,000, there would re-
main 399,988,000 cubical Miles of Water to
be found after fome other manner, to have co^
vered the Earth fo deep; which is above 33,333
times as much as could be contained in Vapour
in the Atmofphere ; and if we take 3333 from
that Sum, which is above -fo, for the Moun-
tains (which muft be allowed for the Height
of the Mountains, and is enough, considering
how much Sea and low Ground there is on the
Surface of the Globe)^ there would ftill be
3000 times as much more Water wanting, be--
fides all the Rain which poffibly could be con-
tained in the Atmofphere, in cafe the Whole
had fallen.

To fupply this, without a Creation, or con--
verting Solids into Fluids, which muft alfo be
by m.aking ufe of Almighty Power, only two
Ways can be affigned, or by both united : The
fiift is, by the Atmofphere of a Comet, which
might have been attracted by the Earth upoa
the Approach of the Cornet, as fuppofed by

7

the

240 A Mifcellamous

the ingenious Mr. Whijlon j the other, by there^
being an Abyfs or Fluid under the Cruft of the
Earth, into which the Earth might have fallen,
upon its Cruft's being broke; naturally, ac-
cording to Burnet ; or by the Comet, accord-
ing to Whijlon ; which, by its fubfiding, forced
up the Water, which, united to the Rain, occa-
fioned the Deluge. If any Waters fell from
the Atmofphere of a Comet, they muft ftiU
remain upon this Globe ; for without a* much
greater Heat than we at prefent have, more
can't be raifed in Vapour, and be fuftained by
the Air, than there was and is at prefent j and
confequently there would ftill be fo much more
wanting to cover the Tops of the Mountains,
now as they are : And to fuppofe that there
was an Abyfs of Water under the Earth, about
a Nucleus^ as the White of an Egg betwixt
the Yolk and the Shell, lighter than the Earth,
Stones and Metals above it, as fuppofed by
Burnet^ is not confiftent with either his own
Principles, or Whijlon's^ fuppofing the Nucleus
to have been a Comet intenfely heated : For,
until it had cooled, the Water would have
been in Vapour, as well as Metals, Stones, and
Earth, fufpended in its Atmofphere ; and, up-
on its cooling, we muft ftill fuppofe, that the
heavieft fubfided firft ; and confequently the
Fluid in the Abyfs could not have been Water,
but rather Mercury, or fome other Fluid hea-
vier than the Earth, which floated upon its
Surface : But, fuppofing it fo, it is not eafy to

force

Metaphyfical Eflay. 241

force an Arch downwards : A fmall Globe of
Gold could not be forced inward, or alter its
Form to an Ellipfis, until the Water forced
thro' it : And if a Sphere could be forced in-
wards. It muft firft alter its Form towards an
Ellipfis ; and confequently fome Parts muft be
raifed, and made higher, to allow the others
to fubfide : For the Waters, upon forcing the
Arch upwards, muft have raifed the Earth
higher than it was before ; and the fame thin^
would have happened, if it had been attradled
by the Comet ; for it muft then have turned a
Sphere into an Ellipfis, and then the longeft
Diameter muft be farther from the Center, and
confequently not covered with Water : So that
in whatever way we view it, ftill Almighty
Power muft be brought in to make it univerfal :
And this does not feem to be apparent from the
Mofaic Account, which makes ufe all along of
Second Caufes, both in the Punifhment infiifted
upon Adatns degenerate Race, and in the Pre*
fervation of Noah.

I {hall now endeavour to (hew^ that a partial
Flood, over a particular Region of idoo or
perhaps aooo Miles diameter, might be occa-
lioned by the Concurrence of Second Caufes,
either by a Comet, or without one: And in
cither Cafe the Wifdom and Foreknowlege of
God would have been obvious, as well as his
Power ; and it would have been equally mira-
culous to Mankind, by being contrary to the
ufual Proceedings of Nature,

R Sup-

242 A Mifceilaneous

Suppofing a Comet fliould have approached
nearer the Earth than the Orbit of the Moon,
it would only attrad: this Globe as the Sun and
Moon do 5 but in a much greater Degree, if
it were much larger than the Moon, and very
near to this Globe j that is, it would attra<5t the
whole Globe, but the Water, as being move-
able more than the folid Part ; and fo raife an
extraordinary Tide, by forming the Waters into
an Ellipfis, as the Sun and Moon now do. If fuch
a Comet fliould have come fo near this Globe^
as to be attraded fo ftrongly by it, as to make it
for fome time quit itsDefcent towards the Sun,
and revolve round the Earth like the Moon,
with a Movement a litde quicker than the
Rotation of the Earth round its Axe, in the
fame Diredion, fo that for near forty Days it
would feem to be fufpendedover thatPart oiAfia
adjoining to Palajime^ where the Deluge was,
in lisPerigaum ; and a little after it, during the
time of forty Days, Part of its Atmofphere
might have been attracted more ftrongly by the
Earth by being much larger, and might have
poured down in violent Rains ; whilft, in the
mean time, the Waters of the Ocean were
formed into an Ellipfis, and attraded over the
lower j^fia from the hidian and Mediterranean
Seas, and confequently would rife upon the
Land in proportion to the-Diftance and Power
of Attradion in the Comet ; and thus a partial
Flood might be accounted for by Second Caufes.
This might alfo occafion a partial Flood -in
-c;i*«» '-''^ Greece^

Metaphyseal Eflay. 243

Greece, as Deucalion^s^ and Ogyges's 5 for Part
of the Rain might fall there, upon the Ap-
proach of the Comet, and the great Tide
would have joined it, from the Ocean's having
been drawn violently thro' the Streights of
Gibi'dtar^ and perhaps over Part of the ad-
joining Lands ; and this would account for the
Whole, as mentioned by Mofes, and other
antient Writers.

But if this fhould not have been the Caufe,
fuch a partial Deluge might be accounted for
without the Approach of a Comet, by an
Earthquake, which might at the fame time
deprefs a great Part of a Country, by railing
another Part undei* the Bottom of the Indian^
Arabian, and Mediterranean Seas, and thus
Caufe a great Flowing of Waters over that
Country ; at the fame time, concurring Caufes
might make the Atmofphere over that Country
as light as poflible^ and all the Vapours in the
Atmofphere, 'in that whole Hemilphere, might
have been impelled by the Winds, from all
Points^ to that Part of the Atmofphere, and
fall in furprifing Catarafts and Spouts, over
that Part of the Globe ; if at the fame time
we fliould fuppofe, which is not improbable,
that the Mediteranean Sea, at that time, had
no Communication with the Ocean by the
Streights oiGibraltar^2inA xh^tthtEuxine had
alfo no Communication with the Mediterranean
by the ^hracian Bofporus^ but were then
both Inland Seas, like the Cajpian, as the Per-^
R CL fian

24+ -^ Mifcellaneous

jian Gulph might alfo have been ; and we
know, that the Mediterranean can't now be
kept full by all the Rivers running into it,
without the Affiftance of the Ocean thro' the
Streights ; the Sun and Wind exhaling more Va-
pours from its Surface than all the Rivers and
Rain fupply 5 which would alfo be the Cafe of the
Euxiney had it no Paffage thro' the BofporuSy
but might have been raifed higher upon the
adjoining Lands ; and it is alfo known, that
the Lands on each Side of the Bofporus are
very high, as alfo at the Streights of Gibraltar 5
fo that if a vaft Deluge of Rain poured down
for forty Pays upon that Part of our Hemi-
fphere, either by a Comet's falling near the
Earth, and its Tail or Atmofphcre's being at-
tracted by the Earth in its Defcent to the Sun ;
or by the Atmofphere's being extraordinarily
lightened, fo as to pour down all its Vapours iif
Rain upon that Part of our Hemifphere, over
the Eu^ine^ Armenia^ and the low Lands of
jifia and Africa^ adjoining the Mediterranean
Sea J and at the fame time the Euxine^ from
the great Rife of its Waters, fhould have burft
a Paffage at the T'bracian Bofporus thro* the
Hellefpont^ the Mediterranean Sea muft have
been raifed to a great Height, as there was
then no Paffage to the Ocean j and thus all the
low Lands of A/ia^ and the adjoining Countries
in Africa and Europe^ might have been over-
flowed, for a limited Time ; and afterwards by
burfling a Paffage at the Entrance of the Per-*^

Jian

Metaphyftcal Eflay, 245

Jlan Gulph, and at the Straights oiGibraltar^
they would again gradually fubfide, until the
Waters came upon a Level with the feveral
Oceans they ran into ; and by either of thefe
Ways a Deluge over thefe Countries might
have been occafioned, which Mofes calls an
univerfal Deluge after the Eaftern manner, as
by way of Excellency and Eminency he calls
yudaa^ and the adjoining Countries, the whole
Earth, wherein every thing, that breathed up-
on the dry Land in thefe Countries, died, ex-
cept thofe that were with Noah in the Ark.

Since then we find, that an univerfal Deluge
could not have been caufed without the Al-
mighty Fiat of the Divine Being, which^
from the Methods taken to bring it about^
does not feem probable, fince both the Punifli-
ment of Adam\ degenerate Race, and the Pre-
fervation oi Noah in the Ark, was concerted by
Wifdom and Prudence, as well as Power j I
Ihall next confider, whether the Ark was large
enough to have preferved all the various Species
of Animals, with Noah^ and Provifions for
all, for twelve Months, with any tolerable Ac-»
commodation for Noah^ and his Family ; for
fince Noah was found righteous, and had fuch
great Favour with God, it muft be believed,
that he was placed in the Ark, as in a f lace of
Safety and Pleafure, and was not to be con-
fined fo long in it as a Malefador in a Gaol; and
therefore we muft fuppofe, that he had all
proper Accommodations in it.

Rj By

246 A Mifcellamous

By the Defcription the Ark was three hun-
dred Cubits long, which we have Reafon to
believe were of fuch Cubits as were in Ufe
when Mofes wrote, when the Jews were of
the ufual Stature, being but as Grafhoppers tp"
the Sons of Anak; and it is plain, in this
Hiftory, that he wrote according to the vulgar
Capacities of the Jews ; for he fays, Ty&^
Windcivs or Floodgates ofHeaven were opened^
as if the Sky over us was a Vault, and Waters
above the Vault, which, upon being open'd,
pour'd down upon the Earth. The Ark was
then probably four hundred and fifty Feet
long, feventy-five broad, and forty-five high,
which, if equally broad below as above, as it
>vas probably . flat-bottom 'd, would allovi^ of
33750 fquare Feet upon each Floor, or ^J^o
fquare Yards. Now, it is probable, fuppofing
the Flood univerfal, that the upper Story was
allowed to Noah'^ Family, and to the Birds and
Infefts ; that the Middle was for the Beafts 5
and the loweft for the Proyifions, and, as they
were confumed, for the Dung ; for it is
plain, from the Texture of the Ark, that
they could not throw it out in the time of
the Deluge ; for the Door, being in the Side,
w^as kept clofe ; and there being but one Win-
dow, eighteen Inches fquare, which was not
open'd for near nine Months, when he fent out
the Raven, after the Tops of the Mountains
were feen -, for it is plain the Raven could not
have fubfifled before withput Fpod, nor have
cpntinued upon the Wing many Days 5 it is

not

Metaphyfical Eflay. 247

not to be prefumed that he would have open'd
the Door of the Ark fooner ; and therefore no-
thing could have been thrown out of the Ark,
^nd the more, becaufe a great Wind blew to
dry up the Waters, as it is mentioned by
Mofes. Let us then confider, the great Variety
of Species of Beads, befides their Under-Spe-
cies : If we knew perfedly all the Globe, it is
highly probable, that there are Two hundred
pf each Genus, fpecifically diftind:, that dont
breed with each other, and very probably there
are feveralUnder-Species, one with another, may-
be from Ten to Twenty, befides the Mongrel-
breed got between thefe : Of the Monkey
Herd, there are at leaft thirty or forty Sorts,
near as many Sort of Dogs, not to mention
the different Kind of Horfes, Kine, Deer,
Goats, &c, which have all a great Variety,
and many more different Kinds are diTcovercd
every Day, brought from diftant Countries,
little known, and thofe not Mongrels, but
originally diftindl from their firft Creation -, but
if we allow only One hundred of each genera!
Kind, and Ten of each Under-Species, there
would have: been one thoufand Kinds in the
Ark ; and Two of each Kind, Male and Fe-
jnale, makes Two thoufand, befides Five more
of each clean Kind, Seven of each having
been put into the Ark ; fo that, upon allowing;
them one Story among them, they would
have, one with another, very little more than
five Feet by 3. 3, or i6-ifquare Feet, that

R 4 K

248 A Mifcellaneous

is, four Feet fquare to ftand or lie in for
twelve Months they were in the Ark ; and as
rnany of thefe were Beafts of Prey, they muft
have had diftindt Cells to have lodged in,
otherwife they would have devoured the reft,
unlefs a Miracle had been wrought daily in the
Ark to prevent it, by altering their Nature, fo
that great Part of the Story would be taken up
in Partitions. Now, tho' a great many of thefe
were fmall, and might have been confined
within a Foot of each other, yet there are a
great many very large, that would require eight
or ten Feet fquare to ftand in ; and we can't fup^
pofe, that they would be fo crouded together
as fcarce to have Room to rife up and lie down,
for above twelve Months, their living fo long
in tliat State would be almoft miraculous : Be-
iides, Noah^ and his Family, muft have had
Room to have gone among them to have fed
jthem, and thrown down their Dung; other-
wife, in that time, the Ark would have ftifled
them with the Stench : The under Story muft
have been at leaft twenty Feet high to con-
tain the Provifions, and afterwards the Dung
and Urine, of all thofe in the Ark 3 for I don't
fupppf^s tbey wanted Drink in Store j for that
^hey might have, tho' muddy, from the Wa-^
ters without, by Conveyances thro* the Sides ;
but their Excrements muft have remained
within, fince ^he Ark was clofed up, and the
Window not kft open ; the other two Stories
1^91114 be ^kQut twelve Feet each, fame Beafts

requiring

Metaphyfical Eflay. 249

requiring at lead that Height, and Noah in his
Story could not be allowed lefs. Suppofing
^ ^en fuch a Number fo crouded together, with-
out any Change of Air, for above nine Months,
or even half fo many -, how is it poffible they
could fubfift without a Miracle, without be-
ing foon fuiFocated ? What a Confufion mult
they have occafioned by their Noife and Com-
plaints, without Light, or with very little! For it
would not be fafe to keep Lamps burning among
them, nor Fire to drefs their Food, there be-
ing little or no Vent for the Smoak. Would it
not appear, in this Situation, that Noah^ and
his Family, were in a condemned Hole, and
not in a Place of Safety, with proper Accom-
modations? And muft they not have been em-
ployed as Slaves in feeding and cleaning all
this Number of Animals ? Or, fuppofing each
was fhut up, with his proper Allowance of
Provifions, by himfelf, piuft they not have pro-
vided them all with Water ? And muft they not
all have lain in their Dung, and the whole Ark
have been worfe than a Privy ? Or is the whole
Tranfaftion in the Ark all along as miraculous
as the general Deluge without, and all preferv-*
ed within it by a Miracle ? Could the Birds,
Beafts, and Infefts of Prey, be obliged to live
upon Hay, Corn, or Fruit ? All thefe thhigs,
upon the Suppofition of a general Deluge, feem
not eafy to be accounted for ; that the Divine
Being fliould afl: by Second Caufes in faving
Pfgah^ anc} all with him, and yet Miracles

^ ihould

250 A Mifcellaneous

fliould be wrought to change the Nature of
Things during the whole Tinie they continued
in the Ark.

. But let us turn our Views the other Way,
and fuppofe it only a partial Flood, and that
Noah only took in fuch ferviceable Beafts, and
Birds, &c. as might be of Ufe to him in the
Ark^ and afterwards, until he got to a Country
where he might get more ; which might be a
confiderable time, if the Flood extended over
^ large Country; for he muft have had fome
for Food, as v^ell as for Cloathing and Service,
fince it would take up fome time for Plants
^nd Corn to grow. In fuch a Cafe, the Ark
would have been a Palace to Noah^ and his Fa-
milly, allowing them a whole Story, another
for his Fowls and Cattle, and a third for his
Provifions ; and all would have room to move
and exercife in during fo long a Confinement ;
and then they might be allowed a reafonable
Quantity of Fire and Light.

Befides, the Raven*s flying off fo diredly,
without returning to the Ark, is a ftrong Pre-
fumption, that the Flood was not univerfal,
becaufe, being of a ftrong Flight, and rifing
high in the Atmofphere, he obferved Mountains
at a Diftance, which not having been under the
Deluge, he could find Food there to live upon y
$ut if all had been under Water for nine
Months, it could not be expefted, that he could
find any out of the Ark, without it were Fifli,
>vhich was not his natural Food, The Dove

^Ifo

Metaphyseal Eflky. 251

alfo plucking off a green Olive-leaf, which
revived Noah's Hopes, and after Seven Days
more not returning, makes it ftill morp pro-
bable, as its Food is nothing but Grain, that
it flev/ to a Country where it found fomej
but if the whole Globe had been under Water
for nine Months, every Tree and Plant in the
Earth muft have been deltroyed^, as well ^s
,Lapd Animals ; for neither Tree, Plant, or
.Seed, of any Kind, can be fo Jong under
Water without being fo far fpoiled as never to
vegetate more, without another Miracle to re-
ftore its vegetative Power ; and then Noab
muft have begun again to plant all Kind of Ve-
getables, which he muft have preferved in
their Seeds in the Ark. Upon the Hypothefis
■qf an univerfal Flood, the Miracle muft ftill
have continued after Noah had come out of
the Ark j for then the Birds and Beafts of Prey
muft haye devoured the other Birds, Beafts, and
Infedls, long before they could haye had Young
multiplied for the Subiiftence of fo many
ravenous Beafts and Birds ; for tho' Noah pre-
ferved Seven of the clean and harmlefs Kinds,
yet as he was then allowed to eat Flefli before
he could get Plants and Fruit, they were few
enough for him to live upon with his Family,
until the Young increafed. Befides, as it is
yery hard to conceive, without a Miracle, how
Greenland white Bears, Rein Deer, Sea-Horfes,
and many other Species, which can only live
.^i^ Frpft and Snow, ftiould travel to the warm
- , Countries

2^2 A Mi/cellaneous

Countries in jijia^ to enter the Ark, and how
Peruvian Sheep, Sloaths, and other Animals,
pecuHar to the Continent of America^ fhould
arrive there, the Sl6aths being a Month going
from one Tree to another, fo after the Flood
another Miracle muft be wrought to carry
fbme back to the frozen Zones, and the others
to America-, for many of the Kinds in America^
we have never heard of their having been on
our Continent of Europe^ Afia^ or Africa ;
and, if the Deluge Was univerfal, America muft
have been peopled from our Continent; but as
there are none of the Copper- coloured Indians
of America upon our Continent, nor have we
ever read of any here, they feem to be of an
Original different from us ; but, fuppofing they
were originally from this Continent, and car-
ried Animals with them, it would be much
more reafonable to believe they would carry
over the moft ufeful Animals, than others not
ufeful, but noxious ; but, on the contrary, we
find many noxious Animals, and poifonous
Serpents, and other Infedts, in America ; but,
upon our Difcovery, few or none of the ufeful
Kinds, which this Continent affords ; for they
had neither Horfes, Afles, Camels, European
Kine, Sheep, Goats, Dogs, or Swine, in
America^ and many more I could name, until
they were carried from Europe lately j they
have indeed a Kind of wild Oxen in North
'America^ but thefe of a quite different Kind
from ours, and not fo beneficial 3 infomuch

that

Metaphyseal Effay. 253^

that we have the greateft Reafoii to believe^
that the Americans^ and all their Animals
there, were jiborigines from the firft Creation,
and that America never, till lately, was planted
from this Continent ; and c.onfequently, Noah's
Deluge was not univerfal 5 which, after what
I have advanced, I leave to the Judgment of
the impartial Reader.

I have been fo tedious in giving my Reafona
why I believe, that there was an original Race
of Men, the Gentiles^ diftinft from the De-
pendents of Adam^ and that Noah's Flood
was not univerfal, but that the original Race
of thefe earth-born G^«//7^j is ftill, to this Day,
upon the Earth, becaufe the generality of
Mankind have been of fo different an Opinion
for many Ages, that I ihall very briefly con-
clude this Subjedl, without obferving much
more from either Holy Writ, or profane Hi-
ftory, which I could be very copious upon.
I fhall only obferve, that the Race of the
Giants, io often mentioned by MofeSy is with
Difficulty accounted for by any other Method,
the EmimSy Zamzummims^ and Sons of Anak,
Thus he fays, /i?^Emims, tallas the An^kims,
•—and again, That alfo was accounted a Land
of Giants 'y Giants dwelt there of old Times ^
called Zamzummims. — Again, For only Og re^
mained of the Race of the Giants, This niuft
be a diftind Race from the Sons of Noah, or
he would have traced their Pedigree from
Noab J and thofe Times he calls old Times

mud

2^4 -^ Mijcellaneom

muft Have been before the Days of Abraham^
which were fiefli in the Memory of all who
heard him. This alfo accounts for the Di-
ftindion betwixt ^ew and Gentile j they are
reprefented by the Apoftle as Aliens, a wild
Stock grafted in upon the "Jewijh Race, the
Sons of Adam,^^\i may alfo be a Reafon why
the Jews did extirpate the Seven Nations of
Canaan^ defcended from Noah^ by reafon of
their Apoftafy, when they had no fuch Com-
mands againft others who were of the Race of
the Gentiles,

Thofe things which appear fabulous to us
in profane Hiftory, may alfo have had a
Foundation of Truth upon this Suppofitiouj
the general Opinion of Giants having been the
Aborigines of all Nations. The Wars of the
Giants, the Sons of Titan^ or the Earthy
againft the Gods, the Defcendents of Noah^ is
obvious at firft View : Befides, it accounts for
the Progrefs of Letters and Learning from Ajid
to Europe^ to Nations fettled there, , who had
no Learning before j for, if Cadmus was the
firft who brought Letters into Greece^ we can't
fuppofe the Aborigines of Greece were the
Defcendents of Noah ; otherwife they might
have had the fame Letters and Learning upon
their firft Settlement, Learning being cultivated
and improved by his Family ; for we can't but
fuppofe Noah to have excelled in Learning, in
all Arts and Sciences, from his antediluvian
Knowlege, and great Age. Thus the Account
7 of

Meiaphyfical Eflay. 255

of Bacchin and Ceres^ being the firft who
taught the feveral Nations the Ufe of Wine,
Bread-corn, and Bread, arifes from the De-
fcendents of Noah inftruiSing the Aborigines
in ufeful Arts. It would be endlefs to follow
this as I might. In fhort, there will be no
Difficulty in allowing of the Antiquity of the
Egyptian^ Chinefe^ and other oriental Hiftories,
and* to mod of the Difficulties we find at pre-
fent in the early Account of the Original of Na-
tions, upon allowing of Preadamites, and dif-
allowing of the Univerfality of the Deluge,

A CON-

[ 257 ]

A Conjectural

S C H E41 E

O F T H E

Creation of Beings in General,

AND THE

Difpenfation of Providence in this
Globe, from the Time of the Mo-
faic Creation.

AVING from the foregoing Hypo-
thefis, together with the Cabalillic
'^^^ Interpretation of the Mofaic Hiftory,
opened and inlarged our View of the
Creation of ours, as well as of the angelic,
and other adive fpiritual Beings 3 and hinted
at fome of the various Methods which the
Almighty Being may have taken in the For-
mation and Government of fpiritual and fen-
fitive Beings, thro' the Difpenfations of his
Providence, hitherto j I am far from fuppoling,

S that

258 A MifcellaneGus

that what I have advanced, tho* it may appear
reafonable, ihould be abfolutely true in itielf ;
that is what no finite Being can pretend to dive
into, or come to the Knowlege of, without
the divine Impulfe, or Revelation : Yet fince
it appears to me to^ be rational, and not incon-
liftent with what has been revealed to us from
God Almighty, in the divine Writings of
Mofes^j and the Prophets, and principally of
our blefled Saviour, and his holy Apdflles,
who have farther opened up the Scheme of
Providence ; and fmce, at the fame time, it
vaftly inlarges our Ideas of the Infinitude and
Eternity of the Goodnefs and Wifdom of the
Divine Being, as well as of his Power, in the
Communication of his Goodnefs to created
finite Beings, formed by his Will -, I hope I
fliall not be condemned for attempting to ex-
plain the Ways of Providence in a rational
Way, whether the Hypothefis be true or not ;
fince it gives us the greatefl: Idea of the Power
and Goodnefs of God, and fliews us the in-
con fiderable Figure we make, in the Situation
we are in at prefent, upon this Globe, and how
('lWaW a Proportion we bear to the Univerfe,
the -^ilmoll: infinite Work of the immenfe
Being.

Belides, it mud have the greatefl Influence
upon our Actions, by fhewing us, that, if we
liibmit to the Divine Will, and follow the
Didates of well-informed Reafon, during the
Period of our State of Probation here, relying

upon.

Metaphyftcal Efiay. 259

upon the Merits of our hleffed Saviour, the
Divine Logos ^ to atone for our almoft neceflary
Failures ; from the Infirmities and Frailties of
our human Bodies, and from the Power our
Paffions have over us ^ u^e fhall hereafter, at
the General Judgment and Reftoration of all
Things, be intitled to an exceeding Weight
of Glory, in proportion to the Redlitude of
our Behaviour in this Life ; and that if we
fliould fubmit, and walk according to our
felfifh animal Appetites, without Regard to
the Divine Will, that then we muft hereafter
not only be deprived of that- Glory, but muft
fubmit to an indefinitely eternal Death, or an
indeterminate Series of Torments in proportion
to our Difobedience. This, I fay, muft be the
neceflary Confequence of this Hypothefis, if
true : But if it fliould not be true, and fall
vaftly ftiort of the divine Scheme of Provi-
dence ; yet, as it is a confiftent Scheme, it
may fliew our Freethinkers, and Sceptics in
Religion, that from the prefent Phaenomena of
Beings around us, and the prefent Difpenfations
of Providence in this Globe, a very confiftent
Scheme is carried on by the Divine Wifdom,
fince it muft be infinitely above w^hat I, or all
human Wifdom, can apprehend ; and that
fuch a rational Scheme may be chalk'd out by
us, perfectly cofiftent v^ith the Phaenomena of
Beings, and the divine Revelation in the Holy
Scriptures, by a Mefliah, according to the
Myfteries of the Ghriftian Religion, which

S 2 may

26o A Mifcellaneous

may unlock all the Difficulties, which they
apprehend to be at prefent in the Scheme of
Providence, which is hid from the Vulgar,
and only capable of being known to fuch as
diligently thirft, and fearch after it.

I fliall therefore beg Leave to follow the
foregoing Hypothelis, and fhew throughout,
how agreeable it is to the Difpenfations of Pro-
vidence, as it is revealed to us in the Holy
Scriptures at large, and particularly to the
Chriftian Religion, of which we are immediate
Profeflbrs.

I {hall fuppofe then, that the Almighty Be-
ing had created, by Emanations from himfelf,
a Number of finite, adtive, fpiritual Monads,
or Beings, as early as it was poffible for his
Will to a(ft ; which I muft conceive to be
from an indefinite Eternity, confidering Time
as a Fluent, his Will being coeval with his
Power, which was from Eternity, and agree-
able to his eternal and infinite Goodnefs, which
confifts in communicating his Goodnefs and
Happinefs to others, as foon as it might be
done, from the Nature of Things, as far as in-
finite Wifdom could diredl: ; and that this
Goodnefs fhould be as extenfive as pofllble,
and confequently be communicated to as great
a Number as the Divine Wifdom could govern,
and difpofe of, according to his mod perfe(ft
Wifdom, which mufi: alfo be conceived to be
infinite, as far as Number can be conceived to
be fo, and the Beings, each of them finite,
8 which

Metaphyseal Eflay. 261

which our finite Conceptions can have no ad-
equate Notion of; and muft be equally loft in
contemplating the Amplitude and Duration of
the Beings in the Univerfe, over which a Be-
ing of infinite Power, Goodnefs, and Wifdom,
prefides.

I muft alfo, in contemplating upon the fame
Goodnefs and Wifdom, believe, that as many
of thefe Beings, or Monads, were adlive,
fpiritual, endowed with Life, Confcioufnefs,
and Perceptions, and capable of enjoying
Happinefs, in a proper Subordination, where
infinite Wifdom prefided, as it was poflible to
have made ; and that no other Beings, Par-
ticles, or Monads, were made, but fuch as
were necefTary at firft to the Happinefs of
fuch adtive fpiritual Beings, and preferving
them in a due Subordination in the Govern-
ment of the Univerfe.

I muft alfo believe, that thcfe fpiritual,
active, confcious Beings were endowed with
Reafon to regulate their Actions, and had a
Freedom of Will to aft ; otherwife Deftiny
or Fate ruled over all, and the Divine Wifdom
could no more be faid to govern in fuch a
State, than Man could be faid to govern in-
animate Beings around us ; for then fuch con-
fcious Beings could be no more than fo many
Machines, adted upon by the Divine Being, with-
out being capable of acting of themfelves; but
the Deity, being abfolutely free, thought it con-
fonant to Divine Wifdom, to rule over Beings

S 3 who

262 A Mtfcellamom

who had Freedom of Will and Adion, and
who confequently fliould be accountable for
their Adlions : Confequently, in fuch a Society,
Rewards and Punifliments were neceflary, and
Jlappinefs or Mifery were to be diftributed to
fach Beings, in proportion to their Obedience
or Difobedience to the Laws eftabhfhed by the
Divine Being, to regulate the Actions of a So-
ciety endowed with fuch Freedom of Will,
and Power of Aftion.

I rnuft alfo conceive, that as fuch confcious
Beings were capable of being made more happy
or miferable. or of being rewarded or punifh-
ed, according to their Behaviour ; fo they
might be capable, from time to time, of hav-
ing greater Powers and Knowlege communi-
cated to them, or to be deprived of fuch
Power and Know^lege as they had. This feems
to be the natural Confequence of Rewards or
PaniHiment. Whether then we fuppofe, from
the firft Formation of Beings, that all were
formed coequal in Power, and equally happy,
or whether they be fuppofed created with dif-
ferent Powers, and different Degrees of Hap-
pinefs, fince they were endowed with Free-
dom of Will, and made accountable for their
Actions and Behaviour, and intitled to Re-
wards, and made liable to Punifliments, ac-
cording to their Obedience or Difobedience
to the Divine Will or Law ; it will, in the
Confequence, be the fame at prefent -, for,
iince their Formation, according to their Be-

haviouj^.

Metaphyseal Efiay, 263

haviour, fome have been raifed to higher
Powers and Enjoyments, and others have been
debafed, and have had their Powers taken
away, in a regular manner, according to the
all-wife Difpenfations of the Divine Provi-
dence, in his Diftribution of Rewards and Pu-
nifhments, for the univerfal Good of his Crea-
tures, according to the Subordination of Beings
at prefent in the World.

I muft alfo conceive, that as thefe adlive
fpiritual Beings are finite, and of different Powers
and Capacities ; fo they mud be capable of
Amplitude and Figure, and occupy Space, and
are capable of Motion, or Changing of Place in
Space ; which, if they were not in Space, or
did not occupy Space, or could not be bounded
in Space, which, in other Words, is being ex-
tended, they could not a6t at all in Space :
Therefore, as either Part of their Subftance or
Nature, or infeparably united to them, they
muft have a Vehicle or Form, which individu-
ates them, and gives them a Form or Figure in
Space : This may be dilatable or compreffible,
according to the Amplitude or Powers granted
to each Individual, at different times, by the
Almighty Being ; and, according to its Rewards
or Happinefs, may be more completely filled
with the Divine Spirit, and ^Ethereal heavenly
Fluid, which pervades all things in the Uni-
verfe ; they having a Power over fo much of
it as inflates their Form or Vehicle when di-

S 4 latedj

264- A Mifcellaneous

lated, it being then within their Sphere of
Adion.

Whether the Paffions and AfFedlions, the
, Sympathies and Antipathies of our Nature, and
of other fpiritual Beings, have been from the
Beginning an effential Ingredient in the Nature
of Spirits, is next to be confidered ^ or whether
it is by a Superaddition, or intimate Union
with the confcious Being by a different Vehicle,
which, when properly united to it, makes Spi-
rits fociable, and gives proper Senfations of Be-
ings without us ; I am of Opinion, whatever
way it is, that without our Paffions and Af-
fedions we cannot be completely happy or
miferable -, and that, in order to our being re-
warded or punifhed, they are a neceflary Part
of our Being. We might indeed reafon calmly,
and be confcious, without them, and aft as
Beings who have no Concern for themfelves;
but it is our Paffions which add Wings to our
Reafon, and prefs us on te Adion : It is our
Hopes, Expectations, and Joy, which add to
our Happinefs -, as it is our Fears, Difappoint-
ments, and Defpondency, which make us
miferable : Thefe, added to the ecftatic Plea-
fures, and racking PainSj, of our Senfes, make
us only completely happy or miferable. With-^
out thefe, reafoning coolly upon Things would
not much affedl us. I muft therefore think
them neceffary to our Well-being, tho' not ab-
folutely fo to our Being in general -, and, whilft
focial^ we can't be without them.

Whatever

Metaphyseal Eflay. 265

Whatever other Beings were formed by the
Deity, were only fuch Particles or Machines,
as might increafe the Powers or Perceptions of
fuch Spiritual Beings as were to be rewarded ;
or of confining and limiting the Powers and
Senfations of fuch as were to be punifhed.
Thefe, and thefe only, if no others were ne-
cefTary to reward or punifh the feveral con-
fcious Orders of Beings, I fhould fuppofe were
formed by the all-wife Governor of the Uni-
verfe : For I muft fuppofe, that the Divine
Being would not make ufe of more Engines to
fupport and govern the Univerfe than were ne-
cefTary, when fewer would anfwer all the Ends
of infinite Wifdom : And tho' I am inclinable
to believe, that all the adtive confcious Beings
were made from the Beginning, or firft Form^
ation of Beings (for, tho' it may be termed
from Eternity, yet, as we can't conceive an
adequate Notion of Eternity, confidering it
only as a Fluent by Succeffion, we muft ufe
fuch flowing Terms, and call it a Beginning) ;
yet I muft conceive, that all thofe fpiritual
Beings have not ever been, or fhall for ever be,
confcious. If they have been Emanations from
the Supreme Deity, they may have been form-
ed, or flowed out in Succeffion, at different Pe-
riods, and may again be abforbed, if that fhould
be agreeable to Divine Wifdom : And, in that
cafe, there might have been, in eternal Dura-
tion, many Beings in Succeffion, which do not
now exifti and many in Future who may

exift^

266 A Mifcellaneous

exift, who have not yet exifted j tho', in Eter-
nity, no Time can be thought ©f, wherein
there were not adtual Beings, or Emanations
from the Deity. Yet I am more inclineabie to
believe, that all fuch acSive fpiritual Beings, as
were formed from the Beginning, fhall for ever
continue confcious and happy, who have not
forfeited thro' Milbehaviour ; and thofe only,
who milbehave, are to fuffer Death, or Punifli-
ment, by becoming inconfcious in a dormant
State, or enduring a Life of Pain ^ and that it
would rather feem a Weaknefs in the Deity,
than a Perfedion, to annihilate any Being he
had once made confcious in the Univerfe ; but
ihould rather continue all Beings in a Rotation
of Pleafure or Pain, or in a dormant inactive
State, according to their Behaviour; and thus
continue them in fuch a Degree of Being as
his infinite Goodnefs, Juftice, and Wifdom,
Ihould appoint, for the Good of the Whole.

As to fuch Machine-Atoms, as may have
been made by the Divine Being as a Means of
further rewarding or punifhing confcious Beings;
thefe might have been formed alfo from the
Beginning : But I think it does not follow ne-
ceffarily, that they fhould ; for they might have
been formed at different Periods, according to
the Variety of the Rewards and Punifhments
to be granted, or inflidled, to the feveral Orders
of Being at different times ; wherein infinite
Wifdom might difplay itfelf, in an infinite Va-
riety, in an eiidlefs Rotation : And this might

either

Metaphyjical Eflay. 267

either be done by a new Creation of fuch Ma-
chine-Vehicles, from time to time ; or by a
new Difpofition of fuch as were originally
made ; whichever Way was moft confonant to
infinite Wifdom to adt.

If then it feems rational to believe, that the
Immenfe All-wife Deity hath, before all Time,
as far back as we can imagine, formed and
governed a World of fpiritual Beings, adlive,
confcious, having Underftanding and Reafon
to condudl them, and Paffions to ftimulate
them to aim at their private Happinefs, as well
as the univerfal Good of all created Beings ;
and a.Freedom of Will to adl, either for their
imaginary private Good, or for the public Good,
according as they gave way to their Paffions, or
governed them by their Reafon ; and that, to
keep up the Harmony of focial Beings in the
Univerfe, as a further Stifnulus^ he had pro-
mifed Rewards, and threaten'd PunilLments, to
allj in proportion to their Obedience or Difobe-
dience to the Laws he had eftablifhed for the
Good of the Whole ^ if this be thought agree-
able to Truth, then we muft conceive, that,
from time to time, in confequence of this Free-
dom of Will and Adion, many Changes have
happened among thefe confcious angelic Beings,
according to their Vigilance, or Indolence, in
obeying the Laws of the Supreme Lawgiver ;
confequently, if they were all at firft coequal,
by their fcveral Rewards and Pnnifliments,
fome have advanced in Goodnefs^ Knov/kge,
*- '^ and

26S A Mifcellaneous

and Power, whilft others have declined in each ;
and thus they have become fubordinate to each
other : Or, if they were created at firft in a
regular Subordination, their different Behaviour
has raifed fome, and debafed others 3 and this
not only ad intra^ with regard to their Know-
lege, Widom, Goodnefs, and other intelledtual
Faculties ; but alfo ad extra ^ in relation to Place
in Space : For as they were focial, they muft alfo
have had external Senfations, by which they
could communicate Happinefs to each other, or
the contrary, and thus contribute to their Plea-
fure or Pain. We may therefore fuppofe, that
according to the different Goodnefs, Rank, G?r.
of fuch Spirits as had been rewarded,' fuch
Places in Space poffcffed by them were more
glorious than the Places poffefled by Spirits de-
graded and punifhed \ and that, as Light is the
mofl glorious thing we perceive by our exter-
nal Senfations, and the Supreme God is faid
to dwell in Light inaccefTible, fo we have the
more Reafon to believe, that the higher Orders
of Spirits, who were mofl: eminently rewarded,
enjoyed thefe Regions of Day in the highefl
Perfeftion; and that fuch as were degraded, in
proportion to their Crimes, were more or lefs
deprived of this Light, and excluded from the
Society of the fuperior Order of Spirits : That
as they were incapable of approaching this in-
accefTible glorious Light, and their Senfe of
Vifion confequently impaired^ their other Sen-
fations might be in proportion alfo lefTened, as
/ ' ■ wcli

Metaphyjtcal Eflay. 269

well as their internal Faculties; confequently
thofe of equal Capacities and Perceptions might
form themfelves into Societies, as being nearly
Coequals in different Spheres in the Univerfe ;
not, perhaps, out of Choice, but by being im-
pell'd thither by Beings of higher Stations, and
of fuperior Power.

If the Supreme Being made the moft inter-
nal Vehicles of Spirits, from the Beginning, an
eflential Part of their Being or Subftance, then
I fliould be inclined to believe, that when they
were rewarded or puniflied, Pleafure or Pain,
Happinefs or Mifery, were communicated to
them, either by filling their Vehicles, when
rewarded, with more of the sethereal luminous
Fluid 3 which, as it increafed their Power ad
extra^ fo alfo communicated a divine internal
Balfam, which improved their intelledtual Fa-
culties, and ftrengthened their moral Virtues :
On the contrary, when they milbehaved, and
were degraded of their former Power and Per-
ceptions, the heavenly Fluid was gradually
withdrawn 3 by which not only their external
Power was leffen d, by contrading their Ve-
hicle, and being confined to aft in a fmaller
Sphere ; but alfo by being deprived of that hea-
venly Manna^ the Food of Souls, by which
their intelledtual Faculties were impaired, and
confequently their moral Virtues : So that they
became more felfifh, and adled lefs for the
public Good of the Univerfe, and more for
their own imaginary Good. Rewards or Punifti-

ments

270 A Mifcellaneous

ments might have been imparted to them in
another manner, by including them in a fupe-
rior Vehicle or Machine, which might have
had a greater Variety of Senfations and Organs,
by which further Powers and Pleafures were
granted to them when rewarded ; or they
might have been included in Machines having
fewer Organs, when puniflied ^ fo that their
Senfations and Knowlege might be leffen'd, in
proportion to their Crimes ; or, at fome times,
be intirely deprived of them, and be thus re-
duced to adt in the fmalleft Part of Space;
and, whilll: thus contracfted, being deprived of
the heavenly Fluid, they equally loft their in-
telledual Powxrs of Reafoning, Memory, and
Refledion, and confequently were for fome time
reduced to a dormant State, or State of Silence ;
which we call a temporal Death.

Thefe being premifed, according to this Hy-
pothefis, I fuppofe, that thefe intellectual Be-
ings, thefe active confcious Spirits, in this gold-
en Age, this primitive State of the Univerfe,
when all was univerfal Day, either being co-
equal, or in a regular Subordination to each
other, according to the Situation in which in-
finite Wifdom was pleafed to place them 3 that
many of thefe Beings, or different Orders of Be-
ing, either envying the Promotion of other Spi-
rits, of which, by their Indolence orSelfifhnefSj
they had made themfelves unworthy; or other-
wife thinking themfelves worthy of the Rewards
they were no- ways intitled to ; they, giving

way

Metaphyjtcal Effay. 271

way to their Paffions and felfifh Appetites, thro'
Pride, broke thro' the Laws of the Univerfe^
the Laws of Society eftablifhed by the Divine
Being : And, fince we find the Supreme Being
adting in our material World by Second Caufes,
fo we have Reafon to believe, that, before the
Commencement of our material Syftem, he
alfo adted by Second Caufes amongft the angelic
Powers; and diftributed his Rewards and Pu-
nifhments by miniftring Angels of the higheft
Orders, who were fubfervient and obedient to
the Divine Will and Laws, to the inferior Or-
ders, as he thought proper : That, accordingly,
in this Diftribution of Rewards and Favours,
the Soul of the Meffiah, for his fupereminent
Zeal and Obedience to the Supreme Being, was
exalted above all the Orders of Angels ; and
that Lucifer^ then one of the fuperior Orders,
at the Head of % numerous Train, being filled
with Pride and Self-merit, openly declared
again ft fuch Diftribution of Rewards as the Al-
mighty thought proper to make by Second
Caufes, the fuperior Orders of Angels ; and
they finding themfelves fecluded from fuch
Rewards as their felfifti Pride thought they de-
ferved, and that the Soul of the Mefliah, who
might have been in the fame Order, or per-
haps a lower Order than Lucifer^ and thofe
Orders who adhered to him, was advanced to
their Prejudice, they adually tranfgrefied the
Laws of Society, and claimed, by Force, to be
rewarded above their Merit ; and perhaps Lu^

272 A Mifcellaneous

cifer claimed the Place and Dignity to which
the Meffiah's Soul had been raifed, and de-
manded that the Meffiah fhould be degraded 5
and thus rebelled, and endeavoured to gain his
Place by Force. The Supreme Being then ap-
pointed the Meffiah's Soul, to whom he com-
municated the Fulnefs of his Spirit and Power,
by uniting him to the Logos^ his Divine Wifdom,
Prince over all the angelic Hoft who were obe-
dient ; and he, at the Head of the angelic Hoft,
quell'd the Rebellion raifed by Lucijer and his
Adherents ; deprived him of the Light and
Power he bore, with all the rebellious Hoft, his
Affociates 3 expelled them the asthereal Regions^
and, by contracting their Vehicles, either by
withdrawing the luminous asthereal Fluid with
which they had been inflated, or by confining
them to other Machine- Vehicles of fewer Or-
gans and Powers, threw them down into the
feveral grand Abyfles, the Centers of our fe-
veral Syftems ; where they were impelled by
the angelic Hoft, and furrounding iEther, and
made to gravitate upon each other, and to at-
tract and repel each other, according to the
Similitude of their Natures and Crimes ; which
may be the Caufe of the Sympathies and Anti-
pathies we obferve in Nature ; and there they
may have been bound in Chains of Darknefs,
for many Ages before the Formation of our
Syftem.

We may alfo conceive, that befides this grand
and enormous Rebellion, wherein fo many were

at

Metaphyfical EfHiy. 273

at once fecliided from the' asthereal Regions,
that, in fo many Series of Ages before and lincej
many angelic Beings are in a Rotation , or Morion ,
afcending and defcending in Dignity, Station,
and Place, m the ^Ethereal Regions 3 either
gradually, or at diflincl Periods, when regular
Judgments are given, and Tryals held, in dif-
ferent Parts of the Univerfe. Where many
are concerned, and Tranfgreffions enormous^
then Tryals may be held at diftincSi: Periods :
Where Lapfes are made by Individuals, by
fmall Degrees, and gradually, from Indolence^
Inattention, ^c, to the Divine Laws ; in thofe
Inflances they may fink, or be repell'd, from
the fuperior ^ther^ towards the Chaofes of
Suns, Comets, or Planets, without being con-
fined to their Globes, or to Matter, without
any formal Tryal ; and, upon Recolle6i:ion and
Amendment, may again be reftored to the fj--
perior Regions, in a kind of PvOtation, or afcend-'
ing and defcending, as on Jacob'^ Ladder.

We may alfo conceive, that in fo enormous
0. Rebellion as that of Lucife?\ where fo many
Orders were drawn in, that feveral of thefe did
more eminently tranfgrefs than others : Some,
from the Height of Arrogance and Pride, againft
the Almighty Difpenfer of Rewards ; and
others thro' iVIalice and Envy againil the Mef-
fiah, upon account of his Exaltauon ; and fome
by other fpecious Pretences, according to the
Powers and Capacities they enjoyed in their
feveral States of Subordination, in which they

T were

^74 "^ Mifcellamous

were placed ^ and therefore, at that Period,
when they fhall be folemnly tried, different
Degrees of Puhifhment wiU be awarded againft
them ; and for a larger or fhorter time, in
proportion to their Crimes, As Confinement
IS aUb a reafonable intermediate Punifhment,
until their general Tryal and Sentence -, fo alfo,
according to their Crimes, it may be reafonable
to believe, that the Degrees of Confinement
may be greater or lefs, and they may have
more or lefs Enjoyment of Life and Senfations,
in proportion to their Crimes : That, accord-
ingly, fome may be deprived of Life and Senfa-
tions, and be intirely inconfcious, until the ge-
neral Judgment : Some m^ay be deprived ia
part, and for Part of the Time, and be con-
icious fometimes 3 and yet, when confeious,
may be deprived of the Memory of paft
Actions, or any Knowlege for the time to come ;
whillt others may know both, and fear,, and
tremble at the Approach of their Tryal and
Judgment.

The Soul of the Meffiah, after his Exalta-
tion, and being made Prince and General of the
obedient angelic Hoft^and after having conquerd
the rebellious Angels, and ex pel I'd them from
the aethereal Regions, and impell d them into
the Abyffes, the Centers of our feveral Syflems^
where they were confined to Matter, by Gravi-
tation and Attrad:ion, in a dormant and inactive
State, dark and opaque, the Fires in the feve-
ral Suns not being yet kindled -, and He^ whom

they

JSietaphyfical Effay. 275

they had defpiled, being appointed, at a de-
termin'd Period, to be the Judge of their
Crimes, and to be a Difpenfer of the Piinifh-
ments to be determin'd againft them at a fo-
lemn Tryal; knowing that many different Or-
ders of Being were concerned in the Lapfe and
RebelHon, and that fome of thefe wxre drawn
in by Orders of fuperior Knowlege and Power^
but were not principal in the Revolt ; that Lu-
cifer^ and others, had rebelled thro' Pride, and
an abfolute Defiance of the Almighty Being,
as if he had unjuftly diftributed his Rewards >
whilft others were only exafperated at his Pro-
motion and Exaltation ; and others perhaps
drawn in by other lelTer Motives ; he offered
himfelf as a Mediator and Interceffor with the
Almighty. Being, God the Father, not only
for fuch as had fallen thro' Weaknefs and In-
advertency, in joining the fuperior Orders, but
alfo for fach who had oppofed his Exaltation ;
and, upon Condition that God the Father would
allow them to become confcious, and would,
place them in a State of Probation, before the
general Judgment fiiould be held, he would
empty himfelf of that Glory to which he had
been advanced, and would take human Na-
ture upon him, in that State of Life in which
they (hould be allowed to ad:, during their
State of Probation ; and w^ouid fubmit to the
Frailties and Infirmities of their Nature, which
they were doom'd to be imprifon'd in for t\\€v:
Lapfe : that, by his Obedience in that State,

T 2 he

^'jt A Mifcellaneotis

he might atone for all fuch who had been m-^
advertently drawn in ; and even for all thofe
who had oppofed his Exaltation, in cafe they
fhould own him in that State of Probation, and
obey his Precepts, and depend upon his Merit
and Satisfadion to fupply their Defeats ; and
in order to have his Obedience imputed to them,
he would not only undergo all the Wants and
Infirmkks liable to their Nature ; but even
Death itfelf, in the moft ignominious manner,,
when deprived of all the Affiftance he had
from his Union with the Divine Logos^ the in-
finite Wifdom of the Father, to which his Soul
was moft intimately united, he having pour"d
forth his Spirit without Bounds or Mealure up-
on him : A fuperexcellent Teft of that fuper^
eminent Merit, for which God the Father had
anointed him with the Oil of Gladnefs above his
Fellows,

This Declaration and Offer, and the Ac-
ceptance of it, made all the Sons of God, the
angelic Hoft, fhout with Joy ; and the whole
Heavens, thro* the infinite Expanfe, echo with
the Praife of the fuperabundant Goodnefs of
the Meffiah our Redeemer, who would de-
prive himfelf of his Glory and Happinefs, for
a time, to reflore thofe to the Favour of God,
who had oppofed his Exaltation ; but did not
do it for thofe, who had rebelled in Defiance
of the Almighty Will and Power.

Thus God the Father made him the Creator
of our prefent Syftem, in Suns, Planets, and

Comets;

Metaphyjtcal Efiay. 277

Comets ; which he formed into regular Syftems,
Irom thefe original Atoms or Monads, confined
together in the Centers or Abyffes of oar feve-
ral Syftems ; having formed them into Globes
at different Diflances, and put them into Mo-
tion round the Sun, fix'd pendulous in the Cen-
ter of each Syllem, putting all the Particles in
the Sun into a ftrong vibrating Motion , fo as
to be intenfely hot; which, by that means,
fliot off innumerable Rays of Light with the
utmoft Velocity ; fo that fuch Beings as were
allowed to take Life in the feveral Planets^
were enabled to vegetate, and by degrees were
capable of Senfations ; and thus the feveral
furrounding Beings became vifible to them.

At this time was the Mo fate Creation, and
Formation of this Globe ; and perhaps at the
fame time the Formation, not only of this
Syftem, but alfo of all the Syftems of Suns
and Planets thro' immenfe Space ; Tho' the
Probability is greater, from the Comets, that
the feveral Syftems, or Planets, have been
made habitable at different times in Succeffion,
in eternal Duration ; as Rewards or Punifti-
ments were to be diftributed among the feveral
Orders, according to their Degree of Lapfe, as
they may be placed in a State of Punifliment,
or State of Probation,

Since the Divine Being has an infinite Va-
riety of Rewards and Punilliments to difpenfe
to confcious free Spirits, who may deferve Re-
wards and Punifhments, in different Degrees^

T I bQtk

278 A Mifcellaneo'us

both as to Duration and Intenlenefs ; fo, at tlie
time of the Formation of thefe Globes^ at the
time of the Mofaic Creation, many of thefe
lapfed Spirits, who had been doom'd to a State
of Silence, by being deprived of their Senia-
tions, and had been chain'd down to the Abyffes
of the fcveral Sans, or Chaofes of Planets, by
the Impulfe of Gravitation, or mutual Attrac-
tion, had an Opportunity of gaining fonie De-
gree of Life, and appearing in the beautiful
Form of Vegetables or Animals ; their animal
or plantal Souls being, in their Seeds, difperfed
not only in the Surfaces of the feveral Suns and
Planets, if Particles of Light are fpiritual Forms,
but alfo throughout all the Matter in the feveral
Stars thro^ iniinite Space : Thofe, who are
doomed to a long Liactivity, until a future
Judgment, are within the Surfaces of the fe-
veral Globes, and are not to take Life duiing
this prefent Period : That to fuch as the Deity
thinks proper, only a fofiil, vegetable, or ani-
mal brutal Life was to be given, until the Con-
dagration of this Globe : That only to fuch as
our Saviour Jejus Cbrijl had interpofed for
Mercy, a State of Probation was allowed, by
their entering human Bodies, they having been
allowed lufficient Machines and Organs to af-
ford them Reafon, Memory, and Judgment,
to make them accountable for their Behaviour
and Actions, here ; whilft others, who have not
thefe Powers, at the laft Judgment, are to be
doom'd according to their former Crimes, in
' ' ' ' their

Metaphyfical Eflay. 279

tiieir prior State, before they were imprlfon'd
in thefe Globes.

Upon the Prefumption, that there has been
a Lapfe of Angels, and other fuperior Orders
of Being, in a former State ; and that this
Lapfe had been either as to Individuals, or dif-
ferent Orders, in greater or lefs Degrees, for
more enormous or fmaller Sins ; and confe-
quently that greater or lefs Punilhments are in-
tended for thefe feveral Delinquents ; that
accordingly, all who have lapfed, being de-
prived of their former Happinefs, many of
them were thrown down into the Abyfles or
Chaofes of the feveral Suns and Planets, and
were deprived of Life and Senfations, by being
caft into a Stupor or Sleep, by being confined
in earthy or material Vehicles \ lofing, for a
time, their Confcioufnefs, or Remembrance of
a former State, which was Part of their Punifli-
ment -, that afterwards many of thefe, at the
time of the Mofaic Creation, were allowed to
come into different Degrees of Life, in Vege-
tables or Animals, to carry on the Scheme of
Providence in our prefent Stage of Adion, be-
fore the DifTolution of thefe Globes, and laft
general Judgmeiijt ; upon the Suppofition alfo,
that many of thefe, who had egregioufly lapfed,
may have taken human Vehicles, and yet be
doom'd here, to be in an intermediate State of
Punilliment, before their final Sentence; that
alfo other Beings, who had not lapfed fo enor-
moufly, were placed here, not only in a State

T 4 cf

2 8o A Mifcellaneous

of Puniihrnent, but at the fame time in a State
of Probation, affifted by the Interceffion and
Mediation of the Divine Logos our Meffiah ;
and that alfo a third Clafs of Beings were aU
lowed to take Life here, eleded to be (hining
Lights, to aflift the others in their State of
Probation, who had lap fed in a much lefler
Degree ; I fay, upon this Hypothefis, I fhall
confider how this agrees with the Appearances
and Tranfadlions on this Globe, and the Ac-
counts dehvered in the facred and profane
Writings.

It feems probable, from feveral Paffages in
the New Teflament, that our Saviour J ejus,
Chrifi did not take Humanity upon him, and
die, for the whole human Species, but only
ior the Eiedtg and others placed here in a State
of Probation, who endeavoured to obey his
Will, and laid hold of his Merits and Satisfac-
tion to make up their Deficiencies ; and that,
befides thefe, there were a third Clafs here,
^.vho were irreclaimable : This appears from
feveral Paffages 5 but efpecially from Qur Sa-
viour's Parable of the Wheat and Tares, and
his Literpretation of it ^ where he exprefly
fays, That there was a reprobate Race fown
by the Devil along with the Wheat, or Race
of Beings placed here by the Divine Being in,
a State of Probation, for whom he died 5 and
that this Race was to remain with them to the
End of the World, when they were to be fe~
parated at the general Judgmeut,

Metaphyfical Effay. ^8j

In other Places he mentions an elecfl Race,
who were fent here as Ihining Lights, to aifift
and inftrud the reclaimable Part of Mankind,
who had fuch fuperior Graces conferred upon
them, that it was impoffible for the Degenerate
here to deceive them, or lead them aflray ; and
that thofe, who were in a State of Probation,
had eaph of the others as Stimulus s ; the one
to attrad: them to the Love of Virtue and
Truth, and the other to tempt them to com-
ply with their felfifli animal Nature and Lufts •
that, upon reiiftlng thefe, their Reward might
be the greater, and their Virtue and Sincerity
appear, yudas is alio exprefly faid to be a
Devil from the Beginning. St. Jude alfo.
mentions the Devils, as referved in Chains of
Darknefs until the laft Judgment; which may
either fignify their being hi a State of Silence,
or Darknefs, in thefe opaque Globes, or being
imprifon'd in earthy Vehicles in this Region of
Darknefs. Mofes alfo, mentioning the Ser-
pent's Punifhment at the general Lapfe, infinur
ates their Confinement to this and^ther Globes,
in a State of Living, by their Doom being to,
grovel upon this Earth, and to eat the Duft
thereof. Some of thefe are faid to reHde in the
Air 5 and he, from thence, is faid to be Prince
of the Poiver of the Air ; their time of greateft
Punilliment not being yet come ; they requei!:-^
ing our Saviour not to fend them into the Deep,\
or Abyfs, before their time. So that, from thcfc
and other Paffages in Ploly Writ, we may con-
clude,

282 A MifcellaneGus

elude, that there are Devils incarnate upon this
Globe ; and there is alfo an eledl Race, who cannot
be deceived, and led away from Truth and Vir-
tue } and alfo a third Clafs, by far the greater
Number, in a State of Probation, or middle
State betwixt thefe, who have Powers fufficient
to be laved, by the Merits of our Saviour, and
to work out their own & ah at ion by Fear and
Trembling ; and that thefe are attracfted accords
ing to their Adivity, or 'Indolence, and Non-
attenticn, fometimes by the Examples of the
Elect, and Ibrnetimes by the Temptations of
thefe incarnate Devils.

Let us alfo obferve the human Species
throughout this Globe, and we fhall not only
obferve Individuals, but even whole Tribes
and Nations, who are governed by the>r Paf-
fions, and cannot be eafily brought to fubmit to
Reafon : In feveral Places their Capacities are
very little above thofe of Brutes, for want of
Inftruffion, or Application to ufeful Know^
lege : There are lame, who are vicious in op-
pofition to Knovvlege, Example, and Precept;
whilft others, from their natural Difpofition,
are humane, affable, and civil, govern their
Pafiions with Eafe, and take Pleafure in doing
good Offices to their Friends and Neighbours,
and in promoting public Happinefs y and alfo
fome, who carry their Benevolence fo far, as
\o promote tlie Welfare of others, with vifible
Pain and Lofs to themfelves ; nay, even to
give Up their Lives for their Friends and their

Cquutry ;

Metaphyseal Effay. 283

Country ; infomuch that fome Men are as dif-
ferent from others, as if they v/ere not of the
fame Species -, fome being as felfifli as Brutes,
whilft others approach the angehc Nature : So
that both from Scripture and Reafon we may
apprehend different Claffes of Men upon this
Globe, whofe Degrees of Lapfe may be very
different ; and confequently may be ordered
into Life here with different Views j fome to
undergo a State of Punifliment, others a State
pf Probation ; and others, as a chofen Race, to
affift and encourage others in doing Good, and
promoting their eternal Happinefs.

I think, upon this Poftulate, the v>7hole
Chriflian Scheme, as revealed in Scripture by
" Mofes and the Prophets in the Old Teftament,
and more fully afterwards by our Saviour an4
his Apoftles, is confident with the* higheft
Reafon ; and will agree with the feveral Dif-
penfations of Providence, from the Mofaic
Creation to the -final Deftrud:ion of this Globe,
and Confummation of all things at the laft ge-r
neral Judgment.

According to this Scheme of Providence,
after the firft Lapfe, upon the Creation of our
prefent Syfl:em, our Saviour Jefus Chrift, the.
Divine Logos^ becoming our Redeemer and
Mediator with God the Father, and being ap~
pointed Judge of Men and Angels hereafter,
reftored Beings from their Stupor or Death by
degrees, in a regular Progreffion from Death to
Life : Accordingly, after proportioning the

Solids

2 84 A Mi/cellaneou's

Solids and Fluids, the Land and Water in tJiIs
Globe; a Stage for i\(ftion was, prepared, the
Seeds of all Beings were fown ; the lowed
Life takes place firif, as FoiTils, and terrene
and fubmarine Plants; for thefe proper AW/^i'i
were prepared, and Vegetables overfpread
the Face of the Earth, and Bottom of the
Seas : When this Part of the Creation was
completed, and the Earth was pregnant with
thefe ; then the Sun, Moon, and Stars, were
caufed to enlighten the Globe ; and the Mef-
fiah then brought on animal Life, by degrees :
As the Earth was a proper Nidus for Plants,
and Trees -, fo thefe were proper Nidus's for
the Seeds, or Animalcules, of the loweft
or fmalleft microfcopicai Infeds, and alfo Food
for them when they were animated : Thefe
fmaller 'Infects, and Plants, were alfo Food
for the greater Infeds, Fifh, and other Ani-
mals ; moll: of which prey upon others of in-
ferior Orders or Size.

The Divine Logos thus rifing gradually in
the vegetable and animal Creation, from the
leiTer to the more noble of the Brute Creation ;
either with the Earths abounding at firft with
proper Matrixes ; or by the Miniiiration of
fuperior Beings ; when all the Variety of
A.nimals, of the brute Species, were formed
in faitable Numbers throughout the Globe,
and the whole Stage prepared v/ith thefe Un-
der-Machines 5 then, to complete the Creation
there, the human Species was formed, ia

fuitabk

M^taphyftcal Eflay. 285

fiiitable Numbers to the Animals and Vegetahles
m the feverai Climates 5 from their feveral
Seeds, or Animalcules, the Dud of the
Ground ; proper Matrixes or Nidus s being
prepared for them by the miniftring Angels,
until they v/cre capable of procuring ihcir
own Food. Thefc were appointed as Lords
over the brute and vegetable Creation, and
formed in Nunibers fufficicnt to bear Sway
over them, and were endowed vvith Reafon
futlicient to be made accountable for their
Actions here-, and were difperfed in. the feverai
Climates and Countries in the Globe, as the
other Animals and Vegetables were j having
not proceeded from one common Parent, but
were 'Terrigence^ formed in a beautiful Variety,
fuitcd to the different CHmates and Countries
in the Globe : From hence are the different
Kinds, Features, a:.d Colours, as V/hite,
Copper-coloured," Yellow, and Black, accord-
ing to the different Climates and Countries
where they had tlieir Origin j and from thefe
different Fathers, and the crofs Generations
fince that time, proceed all the beautiful Va-
riety we fee now in this Globe.

As it is highly probable, that Life and Sen-
fa tlons came on gradually, and improved here
by degrees, as the Foimation of Beings ad-
vanced ; and fince we improve from Infancy
to Manhood in our fupcrior Faculties; and our
Saviour came late into this World, to give us
the hid and greateft Revelation of his Power

and

286 A Mij

and Goodnefs ; we may believe, that, upoii
the firfl Formation of our Species, the bed
did not come firft upon the Stage, but the
worft and mod degenerate ; perhaps none of
the Ele6l, and very few, if any, of thofe who
, were in a State of Probation j but moft, if
not allj of that Clafs who were Devils incar-
nate ; who were in a lapfed, irredeemable
State ; placed here in an intermediate State of
Punifliment ; who, being deprived abfolutely of
their prior Knowlege, and loaded with their
former Sins, from their Lapfe, came into thefe
earthy Vehicles, with all their former vicious
Inclinations ; were left here to follow their
Paffions ; having no Guide but uninftruded
Reafon, in the fame Situation as the Hottentots^
and fuch barbarous Nations were in, before
any civilized Nations came among them ^ fuch,
I imagine, were the Terrigence^ or Aborigines^
In the different Regions of this Globe, before
divine Light and Knowlege were communi-
cated to them ; nor have we Reafon to believe
it otherwife, fince we find it fo at prefent in
many Places upon this Globe, where Learning
or Revelation has not been introduced to them ;
and if there be any now upon this Earth, who
are incapable of Salvation, fince there have
been Sins againfi: the Holy Ghoft, there may
be ftill ; or fuch Perfons as Judas^ who was a
Devil from the Beginning, and was predefti-
nated to that Office, from his firft Lapfe, be«
fore the Formation of this Globe 3 who are

ftill

Metaphyfical Eflay. 287

fiill without Knowlege of God, and our blefTcd
Saviour ; why may we not believe, that they
were all fo, at the Beginning \ until God Al-
mighty was prevailed to reveal him (elf, by
bringing in a new Race into the World, thofe
who were to be in a State of Probation, and
were made capable of Salvation by the Merits
and Death of our Saviour, and alfo his Elc6fc
and chofen Race, who Vv^re to be Priefts and
Prophets, to reveal the divine vVill and Good-
nefs to the Reclaimable, as uxll as to the jlb-'
origines 5 in order to withdraw, or IciTeii the
Crimes of fuch as were not abfoibed in Iniquity
and Sin, who were the Seed of the Wicked
one, ("own with an Intention to tempt the
Eled:, and others who v»'ere in a State of Pro-
bation, from the Love of God and Religion j
whilft the Eledl were endeavouring to per-
fuade fuch who were in a State of Probation,
to lay hold of the Mercy of God by the Mef-
fiah, and to work out their ovv'n Salvation
thro' Fear and Trembling ?

Thefe Terrigence^ being thus blinded by the
Superiority of their animal Paflions, and grow-,
ing up without InitruCHon, independent of
each other, like^ wild Beafts in a Foreil, with-
out either Food or Cloathing, but what they
o;ot at firft from the Leaves and Fruit of Ve^e-
tables, or perhaps, of fuch Animals as thev
could come at, and feize ; were at firlt un-
fociable, being afraid of each other, and con-
iequently without Government, in a worie
7 Condi tioii

288 A Mifcella?^eous

Condition than the Hottentots or Greenlanderi
are at prefent, or the mofl favage People upoii
the Globe.

Thefe lived at firft in Caves, or in warmer
Climates under the Shade of Trees, without
Speech, at firft {hunning, and afterwards prey-
ing upon, or endeavouring to fubdue each
other 5 except where they were of different
Sexes ; v/ho firft began Society ; and en-
deavoured to convey their Thoughts and Ideas
by Signs, Sounds, and Ad:ions, which gave a
Beginning to Speech. This Opinion of the
Origin oi Man gave Occafion to the Fable
of fowing the Dragon's Teeth y and the firft
human Race fpringing up from them, being
an hoftile Race, and fo deftroying one another >
being independent and fierce, from the Preva-
lence of their Paflions in their felfifli animal
Nature.

Thefe T^errigence, fliunning all bat their
Offspring, by their Increafe founded fmall So-
cieties in their own Families ; and at the fame
time other Families increafmg in their Neigh-
bourhood, upon their Excurfions in hunting
for Food, or Skins to cover them, they being
felfifh and rapacious, when they met, the
Stronger would infult and attack the Weaker .^
at firft quarreling for Food, -and afterwards
for Power, by endeavouring to take them, or
their Women and Children, to make them
ferviceable to their Pleafures ; which v/ould
caufe the weaker Families to unite to with-

ftand

Metaphyjical Effay. 289

ftand the ftronger ; and thus fmall Societies
were formed, and from thefe uniting Speech
was improved, and different Languages and
Dialeds were ufed in ^heir feveral Societies.

If we obferve the feveral favage Countries,
difcovered within thefe few Centuries, efpeci-
ally in the colder Climates, which are very
thinly peopled, where the Arts of civil Life
have not been improved, as in Greenland^ and
among the Ejkimaiix Savages in America ; and
even among the Hottentots^ before their Inter-
courfe with the Dutch -^ they are found to be
in much the fame State at prefent, improving
their Reafon no further than to procure necef-
fary Food, and Skins to cover them ; know-
ing very little of God or Religion, after fo
many Years, according to our Computation of
Time, from the Mofaic JEra,

Since then at leafb one Third of the human
Species is at prefent in as bad a State as when
they were firft formed, being yet without the
Knowlege of revealed Religion, or any Reli-
gion at all ; being governed by their Paffions,
and in the greateft Degree of Ignorance ; Why
may we not conclude, that the whole firft-
formed Race of Mankind, the Aborigines^
might have continued in that State for feme
Ages, as well as to have half the Globe con-
tinue fo, until within thefe two hundred and
fifty Years ? And that their Dependents hav-
ing peopled the Globe, and lorded it over the
Brute Creation, in an animal felfifh State,

U without

290 A Mifcellaneous

without any divine Light or Knowlege, but
what they had from uninftrudted Reafon, in
their lapfed and miferable State of Being,
the Divine Logos^ perhaps, fome Ages after
peophng this Globe, in order to carry on the
Scheme of Providence, of improving human
Nature by degrees, before he thought proper
to take our Nature upon him, and appear on
Earth, as a further Improvement, introduced
a new and feledl Race, by the Formation of
jidanty in an extraordinary manner > who, as
a Type of himfelf, was to inftrudl and civilize
the original Race, who were in a State of Na-
ture, mere felfifh Animals without any
Knowlege of God ; and to endeavour to with-
draw them from fenfual Pleafures, and enable
them to fubmit to well-inftruded Reafon, and
to promote the univerfal Good of their Species,
and the Univerfe, by obeying the Will of
God J thus to draw them gradually to the
Knowlege of the mediatorial Scheme, as they
advanced in Knowlege and Goodnefs. Ac-
cordingly, the Divine Logos formed jidam as
a Type of himfelf, not by Seed from the Ab-
origines ; as he himfelf was not generated by
the Seed of Man, but by the Holy Spirit upon
the Virgin Mary^ in the Seed or Ovum of the
Woman ; after his Formation, Growth, and
Education, in all Things neceflary to inftrud:
the Aborigines ; the Knowlege of Nature be-
ing in great meafure laid open to his Reafon,
by his coming into a Body undefiled, he know-
8 ing

Metaphyfical Eflay. 291

ing the Names or Nature of all Beings under
his View ; fince the Mefliah was to proceed
from his Seed by the Woman, before he took
the Miflion upon him ; it was neceffary to con-
tinue down his Race uncorrupted, and with-
out Mixture of this earth-born Race : And
therefore no Help being found meet for him
of their Race, a Tumor or Nidus was formed
in his Side, in which Eve was formed, to
convey down a felecS Race of Priefls and Pro-
phets, until our Saviour took Flefh from this
Race.

Afterwards Mofes mentions his Trial and
Fall in a Figure, to reprefent our former
Lapfe, and the Neceffity of the mediatorial
Scheme of our Redemption, by the Merits
and Satisfadion of our Saviour ; that as all
imputatively fell in Adam^ fo all who laid hold
of our Saviour's Merits and Satisfaction, and
endeavoured to follow his Example, in a holy
Life, might be reftored to the Regions of
Day for ever, by the Goodnefs and Death of
our Saviour.

The Hiftory of Cain and Abel was typical
of the two Covenants of Nature and Grace ;
the firft, alluding to the animal Life here ; the
other to the divine Life. They having re-
ceived a Commiffion as Prophets, to inflrudl
the Aborigines ; Cain inftru(5ted them in the
Improvement o^ their animal Nature, calcula-
ted for civil Life in this World ; whiKt AbeU
Type of Grace, inftruded them in the Search

U 2 and

292 A Mifcellaneous

and Pracftice of divine Truth and Knowlege 5
raifing the divine Life, or fapreme Good, the
Love of God, and our Neighbour, above our
felfifh animal Nature : And this being agreeable
to the divine Will, his Offering w^as accepted, ^
and not Cain^; upon which, Cain being ex-
afperated, and his felfifh Will and Dodtrine
prevailing, he killed Jlbel^ or rather the divin©
Life ; which is to be made perfect thro'
Death.

Adams Dependents by Seth^ afterwards in-
termarrying, and mixing with the Aborigines^
and following the Pleaiures of the animal Na-
ture; and none being pure and unmixed, but
Noah^ and his Family ; God Almighty caufed a
Flood to drown all the other Defcendents of
Adam, who had difobeyed his Will ; but did not
drown the reft of the Aborigines^ becaufe he
had brought Adam into the World to propagate
a feled Race, to preach to, and civilize, and
not to run into. the Errors and Cuftoms of the
Aborigines,

Upon this Hypothefis, of three different
Claffes of Men, the Irreclaimable, thofe in a
State of Probation, and the Ele6l ; moft, if not
all, the Difficulties ftarted againft the Tranfac-
tions of Providence, upon the mediatorial
Scheme, of our Saviour's coming into the
World fo late, and appearing to, and being
preached to, fo few, fince that time, may be
4ufficiently accounted for ; and alfo all tha
Difficulties in St. PWs Epiftles, and other

Texts

Metaphyseal Eflay. 293

Texts of Scripture, which have been the
Foundation of fo many Difputes about Pre-
deftination " and Free-will ; for otherwife it is
not ealy accounting for the Wifdom and Good-
nefs of God, if we believe, that our Saviour
came into the World, and fufFered Death, to
redeem all the human Species, and that, with-
out Faith in him, and a holy Life, we cannot
hope for the Kingdom of Heaven, that for
fo many Ages he fhould have delayed coming
into the World ; and before that time have
been only revealed to the Nation of the JewSy
and only to the Learned among them, fully ;
who were fcarce more than an Unit, com-
pared to the innumerable Nations on the
Globe; and that fince his Coming, until this
time, he has been revealed to fo fmall a Por-
tion of the Globe.

Would it not feem, without this Hypothefis,
to be a Failure of the Divine Wifdom and
Goodnefs, when the Revelation might hav^
been made general from the Beginning? And.
would not the Death of our Saviour have been
in great meafure rendered ufelefs, or of fmall
EffecS to many ; fince none can believe with-*
out hearing, and none can hear without a
Preacher ?

If our Saviour's Death was a Satisfadion for
the whole Mafs of Mankind, and that they
might be faved without his being made
known to them, then there was no Neceflity
for any further Revelation of him, and his

U 3 Laws^

294 ^ Mifcellaneous

Laws, to one Part of the Globe, more than to
another; and his Death would have been of
equal Benefit to all lapfed Beings, where-ever
diiperfed thro' the Worlds, or Stars, in infinite
Space, as to thofe who did not hear of him,
and his Dodlrine, in this Globe : But if our
Saviour did not die for all, but only for his
Eledt, and thofe who were reclaimable, ac-
cording to the Degree of their former Lapfe ;
who lived up to their befl-inftruded Reafon ;
who, being without Law, were a Law unto
themfelves ; then the Difpenfation of Provi-
dence, and the Wifdom and Goodnefsof God,
in revealing our Meffiah fo late, and only to
fome, and not to others, may be accounted
for without Difficulty ; and alfo the Fore-
knowlege and Predeftination mentioned by St.
Paul ; for, in this Cafe, the Foreknowlege of
God, was, thofe whom he knew before to have
lapfed but flightly or inadvertently, and not thro*
"Malice, or Oppofition to his Will, thefe he
called, juftified, and glorified, having redeemed
them by his Death : And thus his Love to
Jacoby and Hatred to EfaUy before they were
born, was typical of the eled: and reprobate
ClafTes, who were in the World.

This Hypothefis alfo, by /hewing that
Noah's Flood was not univerfal, will folve
feveral Difficulties in the Mofaic Hiftory, in
relation to the Origin of Nations, and peopling
the Globe after the Flood ; and will reconcile
his Hiftory with the Antiquity of feveral Na-
lions recorded in profane Hiftory, which have

been

Metaphyftcal Eflay. 295

been fo much objedted to of late, and twifted,
to make them anfwer to the Mofaic iEra ;
which, if we fhould agree to the vulgar Opi-
nion of the literal Reading, in the Mofaic Ac-
count, that Noah's, Deluge was univerfal, can't
be eafily reconciled to the Records of Anti-
quity. For if we look into profane Hiftory,
for the Antiquity of the Egyptian Kingdom,
and obferve their Dynafties, and Succeffion of
their Kings, we muft trace them up as high,
if not higher than the Deluge ; and it appears,
by all the profane Authors who have treated of
that Kingdom, that they were a great and
flourifhing Empire, long before the Grecians^
Phosnicians^ or Chaldaans^ had any Power j and
from the Mofaic Account it appears, it was in
Abrahams Days a great, civilized, populous,
and luxurious Kingdom, about three hundred
and fifty Years after the Deluge 3 when, it
may be prefumed, there were not two Millions
of Noah's Race upon the Face of the Earth.
For the Children of Ifrael^ from Jacob's Birth
to the Time of their Deliverance out of
Egypt ^ which was about the fame Number of
Years, tho' they were prolific to a Miracle,
yet they did not increafe to above two Millions
in that time : And if any Belief can be given ta
the Chinefe Records, which, by the mod au-
thentic Accounts, feem to have been as care-?
fully kept as any, except thofe of the Jews \
Fohi their firft King,, and Civilizer of the
People, who then lived in China^ the Abort-
U 4 ginek^

29^ A Mifcellaneous

gines^ began his Reign at leaft as early as the
Deluge. To this we may add what Mofes re-
lates of the Cities Nimrod built, and the Empire
he raifed, within a fhort time after the Deluge,
when there could not have been, according to
the Mofaic Account of the Numbers born to
the Children of Noah^ five hundred of his De-
fcendents upon the Earth.

That the Aborigines had no Learning nor
Knowlege, but what they had from Nature,
v/ithout any Inftrudion, feems to be evident
from this Obfervation ; That no Nation yet
known or difcovered by us upon the Globe,
except thofe who have had Learning and Com-
merce with Bgypt or Afta^ have ever to this
Day found out the IJfe of Letters by an
Alphabet reprefenting Sounds, and forming
Words, but not reprefenting the Things them-
felves. In all the Continent of America^ lately
difcovered, no Letters nor Alphabet were any-
where found : Even in the two mofl flourifh-
ing Empires of Feru and Mexico^ they had
no Records in Writing, but only by Knots, and
Pid:ure-painting, to reprefent Things -, they
having not even fo much as arrived at Hiero-
glyphics. In none of the Iflands in the South Sea^
nor near India^ have any Letters been found ;
nor even in Jndia^ among all their populous
Jflands, except the Malabar Alphabet, taken
from the AJiatics ; nor in any Part of Africa^
except the Ethiopians^ and the Countries ad-
joining to the Egyptian and Roman Empires :

Nor

Metaphyftcal Eflky. 297

Nor have the great and extenfive Empires of
China and 'Japan to this Day arrived at the
Knowlege of alphabetic Letters ; their Records
and Writings being all made by Charaders
taken from Hieroglyphics ; which reprefent
Things, not Sounds: So that it is manifeft,
that no Nations, but thofe who had a Com-
munication with the JewiJIj Nation, have ever
had the Knowlege of Letters -, the Egyptians^
before their Departure from Egypt, having had
only Hierogyphics : And it is highly probable,
that the Egyptiajts and Fhcenicia7is had their
Alphabet from the "Jew^ -, from whence they
have been introduced to mofl Nations upon
our Continent. This induces me to believe,
that they are not of human Invention ; fince
fo many Nations, and flourifhing Empires,
even to this Day, tho' improved in Arts and
Policy, have not, in fo many Ages, been able
to difcover them.

Neither can I find out, by the Mofaic Ac-
count, that they were known to the Antedilu-
vians : For as the Divine Being, from the
Creation, improved the World gradually, and,
after the Formation of Man, let Nature w^ork,
and uninllrudled Reafon try its own Strength,
in improving the human Species ; fo after-
wards, when a new Race was formed in Adam,
who, from his Longevity, and being Mafter of
his Paffions, was appointed to improve himfelf
by Leifure and Speculation -, and, after ac-
quiring Knowlege from his improved Reafon,

to

298 A Mtfcellaneous

to communicate it to others, by inftrufting
and civilizing them ; the Divine Being might
not think proper to infpire him with the
Knowlege of Letters and Arts and Sciences at
once ; but rather, being of a purer Nature, his
Soul entered into a Body undefiled, as is men-
tioned in the Wifdom oi Solomon \ and therefore
was in a proper Situation to improve his Rea-
fon : And thus it is faid, That God brought all
Animals before Adam^ and whatever he called
them, that was to be their Name ; that is, He
inquired into the Nature of Things, as much
as he was capable of doing from his Reafon,
and then gave them Names he found moft
agreeable to their Natures.

After he had improved his own Knowlege, and
begat Seth^ and inftrudled him as far as he was
capable, and had formed a proper Language to
converfe with \ by the time Rnoi was born,
they began to inftrufl: the Terrigence in the
Knowlege of God, by civilizing them, and
learning them ufeful Arts in Society ; and theji
Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord,

Thus it feems more rational, that as our
Creator improved every thing gradually, that
alfo the Defcendents of Adam were not at firft
infpired with Arts and Sciences ; but they im-
proved themfelves by Obfervations and Expe-
rience in the Knowlege of God and Nature :
And thus it is faid, that Cains Iflue, tho' ac-
curfed, were the Inventors of feveral Arts not
known before to the AborigineSy or very im-

perfedtly

Metaphyseal Effay. 299

perfeftly known ; whilft SeW^ Pofterity im-,
proved themfelves more in the Knowlege of
God and Religion, and the more neceflary Arts
of Society, and in inftrudting others in that
Knowlege : And they, after Adam\ Death,
and Tranflation of Enochs debafing themfelves
by intermarrying with thefe Sons of the Earth,
the Sons of Men ; and, by that means, for-
faking their God, and filling the Earth with
Rapine ; Noah's^ Family alone remaining free
from that Mixture, and Revolt from the Wor-
(hip of the true God 5 he thought proper to
bring on the Deluge to deftroy the adulterous
Sons of Adam ; but no other Countries, except
thofe the Adamic Race lived in, were de-
ftroyed.

We may therefore conceive, that Noah^ and
his Family, only preferved the Knowlege they
had acquired in Arts and Sciences before the
Flood > and probably nothing was recorded
before but by Hieroglyphics, or Charadlers
taken from them : So that they only preferv'd
the Language form'd and improv'd by Adajn \
which they continued down until the Building
of Babel^ and their Separation there to inftrudl
the reft of Mankind, when they learned their
feveral Languages, which was called the Con-
fufion of Tongues.

The Kingdom of Egypt ^ and Countries ad-
joining in Africa and Europe^ as well as thofe
Eaftward in Afia, adjoining to the Aj]yria?i,
ChaldceaUy and,.Ba/?y/onia?i Empires, towards

Perfiay

300 A Mifcellaneous

Perfia^ India, and China, were probably not
under the Deluge, but adjoining to them ; and
therefore thefe, after the Flood, fpread them-
felves into thofe Countries which had been over-
flowed, whilft the Sons oi Noah defcended into
the Vale of Shi nar, and lived there, having no
Thoughts of feparating to inftruft the Abori-
gines or Gentiles ; but began to build a City
and Tower which would make their Name
formidable, and defend them felves from the
ylborigijies, that they might not again be
curfed, by adulterating themfelves by mixing
wdth them.

The Sons of Noah having a perfedl Know-
lege of the Adamic Arts and Sciences, and the
Gentiles becoming acquainted with their fupe-
rior Knowlege in thefe Arts, came to affifl
them in building, and, at the fame time, to be
inftrudted by them ; and each Nation having
a different Language, the Sons of Noah learned
their feveral Languages, and divided themfelves
amongft the Gentile Nations, to inftrud; and
civilize them, they willingly fubmitting to
them, upon account of the Benefits they re-
ceived from them. This happen'd in the Days
of Peleg, Japhef?, Pofterity taking the Weft
and North- weft, Hams the South and South-
weft, and Shem's the Eaft and North-eaft
Part of the Continent ; whilft Noah, as fome
imagine, travel'd on to China, and civilized
thofe People, and was their Fohi. Heber,
and his Pofterity, preferved their original He-

brew

Metaphyfical Effay, 301

brew Language, which was continued down
in Abrahams Line. Nimrod became a mighty
Hunter ^ that is, drew together great Numbers
of thefe erratic People, who were come into
thefe rich Countries which had been overflowed
by the Deluge, and built feveral Cities, and
began the AJJyriaJi Empire.

This will eafily account for the Greatnefs of
the Egyptian Empire in the Days of Abraham^
when their Kings had their Seraglios, and
were ferved by Princes, who promoted their
■Pleafures, having taken Sarah from Abraham^
to add to the Numbers in his Harain : And
their People were very induftrious, abounding
in Corn, not only fufficient for themfelves,
but alfo to fupport their neighbouring Countries
in time of Famine, who chiefly depended upon
their Herds of Cattle, and Flocks of Sheep :
For the E»gyptiam^ living in the Neighbourhood
of the Adatnic Race before the Flood, had
undoubtedly learned Policy, and to be induftri-
ous, from an Litercourfe with them -, having
learned the Art of Building, Manufa<5tures, and
Tillage -, being famous for Corn, fine Linen,
and Silks ^ having found out the Ufe of Iron,
and other Metals ; having Horfes and Chariots
for War, and an inlarg'd Commerce in time
of Peace, Caravans of Ifimaelites trading there
with Spices and Slaves in Jacob's Days : And
v/e find Gold and Silver was in great Ufe in
Abraham's time, and Lands valuable, from the
Numbers of People then on the Globe, when

Abraham

302 A Mifcellaneous

Abraham paid fo much Silver for one Field for
a Burying- place. By the Bracelets and Jewels
made ufe of for attiring the Women in his
Days, we may conclude, that Trade and
Commerce had been carried on for fome Ages
before Abrahams Days, otherwife Gold and
Silver would not have been in fuch Requeft ;
for Bartering was the original Traffick in Infant
Settlements ; and Gold and Silver only became
ufeful, when Trade became fo extenfive as to
reach diftant Countries, where bulky Goods
could not be carried to Advantage. All thefe
Things confidered, we have no Reafon to
doubt, even from the Mofaic Account, that
Egypt was a flourifhing Empire, even before
the JEra of the Deluge : And fince they had
an Intercourfe with Adam's Race, and only
knew the Method of writing and recording
their Thoughts by Hieroglyphics, for many
Ages after the Deluge, the Prefumption is ibe
flronger, that Adam\ Race did not know any
other Method of Writing, until the time Mofes
wrote his Hiflory, which was wrote by the
H^^r^ie^ Alphabet, which I take to be the firft of
that Kind 5 and, from the wonderful Improve-
ment it occafioned to Learning, from the dark
and dilatory Way ufed before by Hieroglyphics,
I have Reafon to believe, that this Difcovery
was made to Mofes by the Divine Being upon
the Mount, by a particular Revelation, upon
the writing the Law upon the two Tables of
Stone ; which were therefore faid to be wrote

by

Metaphyfical Effay. 303

by the Finger or Appointment of God, fuper-
eminently; the Words, as well as alphabetic
Charad-ers, being exprefly taken down from
the Mefliah, the Angel of the Covenant.

This feems ftill the more probable, from
the great Ufe and furpriiing Difference there is
between an Alphabet compofed of a few Let-
ters, or Charaders, which expreffes all the
Variety of Sounds made ufe of in Speech, and
an Hieroglyphic Charadler, which fignifies the
feveral Things themfelves ; the Combination of a
few Sounds being almofl infinite, tho* the Sounds
are few ; but the Variety of Things being in-
numerable, the Charadters to reprefent them
muft be alfo innumerable : So that, to convey
our Thoughts in Hieroglyphic Charadlers, we
muft retain in our Memory many thoufand
Charaders; as in Chinas to be accounted a
Man of Learning, he muft underftand and
write down at leaft 20,000 Characters ; and
even then not be able to exprefs, or convey to
others, abftrad Ideas with any Certainty; which
is fo eafily done by an Alphabet of about
twenty-four Charaders or Letters.

If therefore it feems probable, that the fir ft
Hebrew Alphabet was wrote down upon the
two Tables of Stone to Mofes^ by the Finger
of God, our Meffiah, upon the Mount; I
Ihould think, if the original Hebrew Alphabet
be ftill retained, as I have Reafon to believe it
is, from the great Care taken by the antient
Jews to preferve it upon thefe Tables in the

Ark.

304 A Mi/cellaneous

Ark, which was made facred, in order to pre-
ferve it with greater Safety 5 infomuch that
Vzzah was ftruck dead for touching it, and
whole Nations of the Philijiines, for attempting
to keep it, or look into it ^ and afterwards the
great Joy, in the time of Joftah^ upon the
Difcovery' then made of the original Roll of
the Law ; and the' great Care Ezra took in
preferving and tranfcribing the Sacred Books
and Chaiadlers, upon his Return from the Cap-
tivity, when he formed the Canon of Scrip-
tures 3 which were preferved, with the utmoft
Care, until the Septuagint Verfion was taken ;
and afterwards preferved in the yewifi State,
with great Care and Exadtnefs, until the Chri-
ftian Mra ; and then preferved by the Talmud
until our Age, when, by Printing, the Types
were preferved ; I fay, if we ftill retain the
true Hebrew Charadier and Alphabet, I am not
furprifed at the Opinion of fome, we are
pleafed to call Vilionaries, that the Hebrew
Character and Alphabet not only expreffes
Sounds, but that the Form and Union of the
Parts of the Letters alfo are Characters for
Things, having been feledled, for that Purpofe,
4)ut of the Hieroglyphics -, and that out of them
a philofophical Language may be formed, as
v/eil as what we call literal ; and confequently
that MofeSy in his Books of the Law, along
with the literal Text, carried on a myftical or
fecret Hlflory, by Types and Figures, which was
hid from the Vulgar under that Veil, fo ex-

prefly.

Metaphyfical Eflliy. 305

prefly mentioned and typified by the Veil lie
put on, when he fpake to them, after coming
from the Mount, where he had fuch great things
revealed to him.

This myftical and fecret Meaning was long
preferved in the Schools of the Prophets ; and
therefore our Saviour bids his Htd-vcrs fearcb
the Scriptures^ and fays, That not io much as
one Iota or Tittle of the Law (hould fail ; which
mufi: certainly mean, that no Part of this my-
ftical or typical Hiftory, or Prophecy, preferved
by the Exadnefs of the Charader, and Identi-
calnefs of the Words and Letters which con-
veyed that fecret Meaning, which they were to
fearch for, fhould be loft. It feems alfo, from
his Intention to carry on this typic Hiftory,
and Prophecy of Times to come, that Mofes
has only feleded fuch Paffages in the literal
Hiftory, as are proper to convey and commu-
nicate the other -y and has chofen fuch Names
and Numbers as may form a Key to unlock
thefe Myfteries, and difcover the Types and
Times they anfwer to ; as is ufed in the pro-
phetic Language of Daniel^ Ezektel^ and St,
John the Divine, with the reft of the Prophets : .
And fome, who have look'd into the HebreW'
Text of the Mofaic Books, and Hebrew Al-
phabet, confirm this Conjedure, and find that
every proper Name, recorded by Mofes, has a
fignificant Meaning, in the prophetic Stile, to
unlock his veil'd or fecret Hiftory ; and dif-

X cover

306 A Mifcellaneous

cover it to be an exadt Prophecy of the Church
to the End of Time.

It feems alfo highly probable, that all the
different Alphabets now ufed in our Continent
of Europe^ ■4fi^i ^^^ Africa^ have had their
Original from the Hebrew Alphabet : It is
plain, that the Chaldceaji and Syriac are form'd
from the Hebrew ; and that the Egyptians^
Arabians^ and Greeks^ had theirs from He-
brews^ or Vhcenicians^ w^ho had theirs alfb
from them : The Roman is plainly taken from
the Greek ; and the Saxo72^ and all the Weftern
Alphabets, from the Greek and Roman: And
I don't doubt but the RuniCy PuniCj 'Tartarian^
and Indian, as v^ell as the Coptic Alphabets,
are from the fame Original : So that all the
Nations, who have had Alphabets, have had
them from the Hebrews ; and none can be
traced farther back than the time of receiving
the Law, when Mofes compiled his Hiftory.

Thefe Obfervatibns feem alfo to add Weight
to the Opinion, that Learning, Knowlege, and
Improvements, have, by the Divine Will, been
gradually growing to Perfedtlon, as well as the
Knowlege of the true God and Religion, by
our Saviour 'Jejm Chrifl \ and that as Learning
becomes more general, and fpreads over the
Face of the Globe, fo Nations become more
focial, and are civilized, and fitted better to re-
ceive true Religion, as revealed by our Meffiah :
And therefore, fince true Religion and Revela-
tion Vv^as, fi'om the earlieft Account by Mojh,

confined

Metaphyftcal Eflay. 307

confined to the Patriarchs in a Corner of the
Globe ; and, after the Promulgation of the
Law, was confined to the JewiJJj State and Race,
until the time of our Saviour's Appearance;
by which time the Nations on our Continent
were fo far civilized, and improved in Learn-
ing and Letters, that they were Subjects fitted
to receive his Divine Revelation ; and fince that
time Learning and Commerce has ftill been im-
proving, and fpreading to diftant Countries, not
before . known to the Jews or Greeks^ who
never had Learning or Letters among them;
as in great Part of Africa^ all America already
difcovered, and the feveral Nations not fully
difcovered in the Southern Hemifphere; in
India^ China^ and Japan^ and feveral other
Parts of the Globe ; How can we conceive,
that if they had defcended all from Adam or
Noah^ that they had all been Strangers to the
true God or Religion, and ihould never have had
any Degree of Learning ? not one of the Na-
tions in the World, who had no Converfation
with the Hebrews^ 'Egyptians^ or Greeks^ or
others who had their Learning from them,
having had any Degree of Learning when they
were difcovered by 'Europeans lately : Nay,
even the Chinefe and Japonefe^ who muft have
had an Intercourfe with the Afiatics^ who
were Defcendents of Noah, tho' they have
many ufeful Arts among them, and a fine
Polity by Confuchi^^ yet never had any Alpha-
bet. All this confidered, I muit believe, from

X a the

30 8 A Mifcellaneous

the Goodnefs of God Almighty, that he would
not have concealed the Knowlege of his Being,
and their Reconciliation to him by our Meffiah,
for fo many Ages, when fo neceffary to their
Salvation, if they had not been fo far lapfed, as
to be fent hither into a State of intermediate Pu-
nifhment, being irreclaimable whilft upon this
Globe, and referved for a future Judgment ;
being too far lapfed to be included within the
prefent mediatorial Scheme ; otherwife the all-
wife and good Being would not have continued
them fo long in a State of Ignorance of the
true Religion revealed by our Saviour, which,
for fo many Ages, had been confined to 'Ju-
dcea^ until the Death of our Saviour ; and,
ilnce that time, to the leffer Part of our Con-
tinent, until within thefe 25*0 Years, that it
began to fpread farther.

This greatly confirms me in what I have al-
ready laid down. That thefe feveral Globes
were formiCd for Prifons, and Places of Punifli-
ment, as well as for Places of Probation ; and
that all lapfed Beings are thruft out of the
aethereal Regions, and are confined here until
the Reftoration of all things : That thofe,
who have egregioully err'd, are here in a State
of Silence, or admitted fometimes to take a
fenfitive Life in Brute Animals, or to animate
our human Species 5 yet are fo overloaded by
their former Sins, as to be here only in a State
of Punilhment, led by their Paffions, and no-
ways fitted for a State of Probation j whlKl

others.

Metaphyfual Effay. 309

others, who have not lapfed fo far, are in a
State of Probation, and, by being penitent,
and hving virtuoufly here, reap the Benefit of
our Saviour's Death and Intercellion for us 5
whilft other angelic Beings, who have fcarce
been peccant at all, have come into Bodies
fcarcely defiled, to be fliining Lights to con-
dud: others who are here in a State of Proba-
tion, and prevent their being carried aftray by
the Seed of thefe Devils incarnate. This alone,
I think, will fufficiently account for the Rea-
fon of our Saviour's coming fo late into the
World, and having been revealed to fo few
fince that time : But, fince none can tell who
are in a State of Probation, and who are not,
all are to be preach'd to, and exhorted to re-
pent and amend their Lives, and to lay hold of
the Merits of our Saviour, and the Benefits we
have received by his Death and Interceflion for
us.

Tho' this third Clafs, whom I fuppofe to be
Devils incarnate, may not be redeemable here,
they being in a State of intermediate Punifli-
ment, and may be doomed to greater Degrees
of Punifhment hereafter, at the next general
Judgment after the Diflfolution and Conflagra-
tion of this Globe ^ v/hen the Eled:, and thofe
who have made ufe of their State of Probation
here, to work out their Salvation, by obeying
the Will and Precepts, and laying hold of the
Merits and Satisfaction, of our Saviour, pur-
chafed for us by his Death, to make out our

X 3 Defi.

3IO A Mifcellaneous

Deficiencies, fhall be rewarded, and made
happy eternally hereafter, in proportion to their
Behaviour and Adivity in obeying the Divine
Precepts , there being Degrees of Happinefs
hereafter, according to their Obedience to the
Divine Will here j yet I am inclined to believe,
that this third Clafs are not to be punifhed for
ever, but that, at the general Judgment, there
are to be different Degrees of PunilTiment, both
as to Intenfenefs of Pain, and Duration ; and
that finite fallible Creatures are not to fuflfer an
Eternity of Pain ; but that, according to their
former Crimes, and thofe committed here, their
PunilTiment will be proportioned : And alfo, as
to the Duration of them , fome, after a Series
of Ages, may be again placed in a State of Si-
lence and Inactivity , v/hilfl: others may be again
placed in a State of Probation, and may, at
diftind Periods, be again tried at a general
Judgment : For by Eternity, in the Holy Scrip-
tures, wx are not to conceive an abfolute Eter-
nity, but a Duration of which we know not
the End, or an indeterminate Eternity. For,
fince Punifhment is only defigned for the Good
of the Whole, and God Almighty's Goodnefs
is fupereminently over all his Works, he may
abate of the Rigour of his Juftice, when it is
compatible with the Good of the Univerfe 9
and fince all Creatures are finite, both in Space
and Duration, it cannot be fuppofed, that their
adual Punifhment iliould be abfolutely eternal ;
and therefore the lapfed Angels, who are Devils

incarnate.

Metaphyftcal Effay. 311

incarnate, may hereafter be eafed of their Pu-
nifhment, and reftored to the Regions of Light ;
and the moft egregious Offenders, if not re-
ftored to Happinefs, may be reduced to a State
of Silence at leaft, without further Punifhment,
which is an eternal Death.

Many pious Chriftians are of Opinion, that
it may be of bad Confequence to dilbelieve the
abfolute Eternity of Hell-Torments, or that the
Pevils or Men may hereafter be happy, who
fhall be fentenced to Mifery at the general
Judgment; becaufe, amongft the lower Rank of
Men, Terrors and Fears have a ftronger Influ-
ence upon their Actions, than Hopes and Re-
wards : But furely thofe judge very ill, who
would have Men follow the Precepts and obey
the Will of God thro' Fear, and not from Love ;
the firft being a flavifh Principle ; for even the
Devils are faid to fear and tremble -, but Love
is the Principle of free Beings, and Sons of
God.

The Idea of God's being angry, and inex-
orable, never to be fatisfied, or to pardon the
Sins of finite fallible Beings, is a Notion un-
worthy of the Divine Being, and contrary to
the Tenor of Holy Scripture, where he is re-
prefented to be all Goodnefs, and full of Com-
paffion, and that his Mercy is over all his
Works.

I muft therefore incline to that Opinion,
which raifes the higheft Idea of the Goodnefs
and Mercy of God 3 and muft believe^ that the

X 4 Meafurc

312

A Mifcellaneous

Meafure of his Juftice is confined to fuch Pa-
nifliments as will mofl conduce to the Good of
the whole Univerfe, and not that which they
are pleafed to call an adequate Puniihment,
that is, an Eternity of Torment, becaufe the
Sins were committed againft an Eternal Being :
For the fame Reafon would hold, that all
Puniihments mufi: be infinitely exquifite, be-
caufe the Deity is infinite, as well as eternal 5
and confequently there could be no Degrees of
Punifhment : The leaft as well as the mod
egregious Sinners muft then be doom'd to equal
Punilhments, both infinite in Intenfenefs and
Duration.

Nor do we find, that the Belief of the Eter-
nity of Hell-Torments has io great an Influence
upon the Morality and Behaviour of the lower
Rank of Men here, as an im.mediate temporal
Punifhment; and therefore, the fupporting that
Idea, of the Deity's being inexorable to all
Eternity, is apt to m.ake confiderate Men, who
think ferioufly upon it, Infidels to our Holy
Religion ; and, upon thofe who do not think
and refled: upon it, can have no Influence
here. But as thro' the whole Scheme of Pro-
vidence, as I have cbferved, the whole human
Species, and Creation, are advancing gradually
to Perfedion, from the Beginning, or Mofaic
Fiat^ to the Confummation of all things in
this ^^eriod ; fo, as oar Knowlege increafes,
our Ideas of God's Goodnefs and Mercy will
increafe ; and this and other harfli Ideas of
4 God's

Metaphyseal Eflay. 313

God's Anger, and fevere Juflice, will be gra-
dually exploded, to make way towards that
Perfedlon we are approaching, after we have
difcovered and civilized all the barbarous Na-
tions upon the Globe, and made them capable
of underflanding the Revelation of the Myftery
of their Redemption by a Mefliah, our Saviour
'J ejus Cbriji ; when his Name will be preached
unto all Nations upon Earth -, at which time
we fluall become as perfed: as we can expe£t
fallible Beings to be upon this Globe ; when
the happy Millennium will commence, and
our Saviour's being'^ our Melliah and King will
be acknowleged over the whole Earth. Then
the Pbiladelphian State of the Church Chall
prevail, where we (hall follow the Divine Pre-
cepts, not thro' Fear, but for Love, as Chil-
dren calling him Abba, Father. Then all in-
exorable Ideas will vanifh, and the Divine Per-
fections, his Wifdom, Goodnefs, and Meicy,
will be exalted 5 and nothing but the Love
of God and our Neighbour will prevail over
the Eled;, and thofe who improve their State
of Probation here ; who will prefide and rule
over thofe who are irreclaimable, until fome
time before the Conflagration and Diflblution of
this Globe; when there will be a Falling-away
and Infurreffion of the Ungodly againfl the
Holy City or Polity, the Eled Society ; when
our Saviour, the Divine Meffiah, will come in
Triumph in the Clouds, to begin the general
Judgment of Men and Angels ; reiloring, af-
ter

314 ^ MifcellaneouSy &c.

ter a folemn Hearing and Sentence, thofe, who
have behaved vs^ell, to the ajthereal Regions of
Day, and eternal Joy ; and dooming thofe, who
have mifbehaved, to the chaotic Abyfs of our
Syftem, for a Series of Ages indeterminate to
us. What may emerge afterwards, Eye hath
not feeriy nor Ear heard ; nor hath it eJitered
into the Heart of Man to conceive, what the
Wifdom, Juftice, and fuperlative Goodnefs of
God will bring to Light in our progreflive
Eternity.

AR

APPENDIX-

Reasoi^s /upporfed by fever al Paff'age^ in
Holy Writ, and from the general Tenor of
Scripture^ to floew^ that the Soul^ from our
Death to the RefurreBion, is rather in a
dormant or qiiiefcent State^ than any-way
cO'r'cious^ or capable of re?nembri?2g pajl
Attioy:^ ; and confcquently^ incapable of re-
ceiving a Reward or Punl foment^ until Seii-
tence is pafjed at the general 'Judgment \ but
that Souls are in an invifible State^ iinem-
bodied^ and incapable of a7iy Senfations, be-
ing in a State of Silence^ R^fl-> or Inadlivity^
having no Communication with other Beings.

S to the State of the Soul from Death
to the laft Judgment, and Refurrec-
tion of the Body at the Refioration
of all Things, there have been feveral
Opinions, but principally three : The firft,
Thofe that believe, they go immediately into
Heaven or Hell, at Death -, that the Juft or
Ele<fb enjoy the beatific Vifion at once,
and that the Unjuft are fent into Punifhment j
founded upon the Parable of Dives and Laza-
rus, and the Thief upon the Crofs.

Others are of Opinion, that at Death the
Boul quits its earthy Vehicle, and puts on 2.'.

airy

3i6 APPENDIX.

airy or asthereal Vehicle, and fo remains con-
fcious, and remembers its paft Actions, and
may frequently appear to Perfons living up-
on the Earth ; but that they do not immedi-
ately go to Heaven or Hell ; but that the Juft
are carried by Angels into a feparate inviiible
Place, from the Unjuft, to Paradife, or Abra-
hams Bofom ; whilft the Unjuft are carried by
evil Spirits into a Place of Darknefs, or leffer
Puniihment, until the Refurredlion and laft
Judgment.

The third Opinion is, that of the Pfycho-
pannychites^ who believe, that the Soul is in a
lethargicjdormant^or quiefcentState,until its Re-
union with its Body, at the Refurredion, when
it is to be raifed up to receive its final Sentence
of Happinefs or Mifery, after a folemn Judg-
ment before Men and Angels, according to its
Behaviour in the Body during its State of Pro-
bation on this Globe.

The firH: or fecond Opinion has almoft
univerfally prevailed, for many Ages, among
Men of the greateft Learning, and the great
Fathers of the Church. The Popifh Church
have univerfally run into the fecond Opinion,
for the fake of their beloved Purgatory j and
the Fathers, and other learned Men, who
were not Papifts, into the firft or fecond, from
this Principle, that all Souls or Spirits are con-
fcious, and always think, that they have Life
inherent in their Nature, and are confequently
immortal in their own Nature ; that the Bodv

IS

APPENDIX. 317

is only a Clog to the Soul, and, upon its Dif-
union from it, it becomes perfeftly free and
confcious.

Since I muft beg Leave humbly to differ
from fo many Men of Learning and Judg-
ment, for whom I have the greatell Deference,
and muft confequently doubt my own Judg-
ment when I oppofe it to fo many, of great
Wdrth and Piety, as well as Learning -, I hope
I {hall be indulged in fupporting the Hypo-
thefis I have offered, wherein my Opinion has
been fliewn to be, that of the Pfychopanny-
chites J that Spirits or Souls do not enjoy Life,
nor are they immortal in their own Nature,
when feparated from the Body ; but that they
have their Confcioufnefs and Perceptions by
the Gift of the Almighty Being, upon their
being properly united to Machines or Vehicles
properly inflated, with proper Organs, accord-
ing to the Stops or Powers given to them by
the Divine Being. And to fupport this Opi-
nion as a Chriftian, I beg leave to lay before
the Reader the principal Texts of Scripture
that relate to the one or the other Side of the
Queftion ; that is, whether the Soul enjoys an
intermediate or ultimate State of Happinefs or
Mifery before the Refurredtion, and lail: Judg-
ment ; or, whether it is in a dormant, filent,
unadlive State, or State of Reft ^ the Juft un-
der the Protection of the Mercy of God, and
the Unjuft under the Juftice of God ; both to
be raifed up to hear their final Sentence pro-
nounced

3i8 APPENDIX.

nounced after the general Judgment of Men
and Angels ; and then form a Judgment from
the general Tenor and Conftrudion of the
Holy Scripture ; and fo leave it to the impartial
Reader, which of the Opinions feems to be beft
fupported by the Jewifo Prophets and wife
Men in the Old Teftament, and by our Sa-
viour and his Apoftles in the New Teftament.

I fhall not infift upon the Texts in the hi-
ftorical Part of the Old Teftament, wherein
mention is made of the Kings of Ifrael and
Judah fleeping with their Fathers ; but fhall
mention, more at large, the Dodtrines and
Opinions of their wifeft and beft Men.

The firft remarkable Paflage is in SamiieVs
Appearance to Saul, wherein he fays. Why
hajl thou di [quieted 772e^ to bring me up ? And
again, l^o-morrow jhalt thou and thy Sons be
with me. If this was a real Tranfad:ion, and
not a Delufion of Satan, then it would feem,
that Samuel had been in a dormant or quiefcent
State, a State of Reft, and was uneafy at
being difturbed before the Refurredlion and
Reftoration of all Things : And by his faying,
thac he and his Sons would be with him next
Day, it does not fupport their Opinion, who
believe there are different Apartments for the
Juft and Unjuft in the feparate or invifible
State, or Hades, but rather the contrary : But
fnice the real Appearance of Samuel has been
m.uch controverted, very little can be built
upon this Paffage.

The

APPENDIX. 319

The next remarkable Paflages are, Elijah and
Eli/ha raifing two Children to Life. In that of
Elijah^ He Jlretched himfelf upon the Child
three times ^ and Jaid, O Lord my God, I pray
thee, let this Child's Soul come into him again.
And the Lord beared the Voice <?/* Elijah, and
the Soul of the Child came into him again, and
he revived. This Account feems to fupport
their Opinion, who believe, that at Death th®»
Soul quits its Vehicle the Body, and may be
in the fame Situation with other Souls not yet
animating proper Bodies, as our Souls have
been in, from the Mofaic Creation to our
Conception ; but gives us no Light, whether
the Soul be confcious or not in that State.

In that PaiTage of the Child raifed to Life
by Elijha, the Servant fays, after laying on the
Staff, T^he Child is not awaked. After ftretch-
ing himfelf upon the Child, the FleJJj of the
Child waxed warm ; and the Child neefed
feven times, and opened his Eyes, Here, tho'
the Child was dead, no mention is made, that
the Soul had left the Body, but that he was
in an abfolute dormant State -, and upon the
Return of Life it was gradual, as out of Sleep,
growing firft warm, then neefing, and open-
ing his Eyes : So that, by depending upon this
Defcription, I might venture to be of Opinion,
that a Perfon might be actually dead, as in an
Apoplexy, before the Soul feparates or quits
the Ventricle in the Brain. But upon fixing of
the Fluids in the Body, by an extraordinary

Preffure

320 APPENDIX.

Preffure of the Brain, the Soul in the Ventricle
lofes its Power of Motion ; and confequently,
for want of its Impulfe upon the Mufcles, the
Fluid Magnates 5 and the Soul, without a Mi-
racle, can't be again reftored to its Fundion, or
animate the Body, tho' it may ftill lie dor-
mant in the Ventricle : But, as this feems to be
flill hypothetical, no great Matter can be built
from this Account.

The next Paffages I need take notice of, are
taken from Job, where he fays. Had he died
as foon as born, he then JljOiild have liejijiill^
and been quiet^ fay^^^S-f I fi^^^^d. have Jlept^ and
been at Rejl. Again he fays, For now jhall I
Jlecp in the Duft-, and thou JImU feek me in the
Morni?jg^ but I JJoall not be. Again, Before I
go whence I fiall not return^ even to the Land
of Darknefs as Darknefs itfelf] Again, Lo !
Man lieth down^ and rifes not^ until the
Heavens be no more-, they Jloall not wake ^ nor
be raifed out of their Sleep. Thefe, and fome
other Paflages in Job^ feem to make it evident,
that he, or whoever was the divine Penman
of that Book, believed that the Soul, from
Death until the Refurrection of the Body, was
in a perfed:, tranquil, dormant State, in a
Land of Darknefs as Darknefs itfelf, in a
State of abfolute Reft or Inaftivity, without
Confcioufnefs or Senfations ^ during which time
they fiiould not wake, nor be raifed out of
their Sleep. This can never be meant of the
Body, which can't be faid to fleep, or reft, or

ad:

APPENDIX. 321

a<fl : It is the intelligent Being refiding within
it, who reafons, acSs, and is fenfible ; and not
the Inftrument it makes ufe of, to which it is
united, or in which it refides, as in a Veft-
ment or Tabernacle, as often expreffed.

In the Pfalnis, wrote by infpired Prophets
and others, we find the fame Sentiments ; viz.
For in Death there is no Remembrance of thee ;
in the Grave who Jhall give thee l^hajiks? Of
what Ufe is Confcioufnefs in the Grave, if we
can have no Remembrance of God, or Things
part ; fince moft allow, in our invifible State,
that we fhall have no external Communication
with the material World, nor can return him
Thanks ? If we can have no Remembrance of
.Spirit or Body, we may well believe we are
dormant, and at Reft. In another Pfalm, Co?!-
Jider^ and hear me^ 0 Lord my God ; lighten my
Eyes, left I Jleep the Sleep of Death. Wilt
thou Jhew Wonders to the Dead ? Shall the Dead
arife and praije thee ? Shall tl^y Wonders be
known in the Dark, and thy Righteouf?iefs in
the hand of Forgetfulnefs ? The Dead praife
not the Lord, neither any that go down into Si-
knee, Again, His Breath goeth forth^ he re^
turneth to his Earth i^ in that very Day hi-^
Thoughts perifk.

From thefe feveral Paflages we may obferve,
that the whole Tenor of the Pfalms confirms
the Opinion, that, from Death to the Refur-
redion, we are to be in a Land of Forgetful-
nefs, in a State of Reft and Sleep; a^id that

Y aU

322 APPENDIX.

all our Thoughts perifh. There is only one
Text which gives the leaft Countenance to an-
other Opinion, where the Pfalmift fays, God
will redeem my Soul from the Power of the
Grave ; for he Jhall receive me. But this may
as well be underftood to be at the Refurredlion,
when his Soul fhall be redeemed from the
Power of the Grave, and be received by God,
tho' it won't be fo with the Wicked, as ap-
pears by the foregoing Text.

Solomon^ in Ecclefiaftes, fpeaking of, and
comparing Man with Beads, fays, "That they
die alike ^ all go into one Place ^ all are of Dujiy
and return to Dujl again. Who knoweth the
Spirit of a Man, that goeth upward^ and the
Spirit of the Beajl, that goeth downward to
the Earth? I fhould incline to read it thus ;
Who knoweth the Spirit of a Man, that it go-
eth upwards, and the Spirit of a Beaft, that it
goeth downward ? Becaufe before he faid, they
had one Fate : And, in the following Text,
he builds upon it, that fince we don't know
whether our Fate be better than Beafts, Let
us rejoice in the Works we have made ^ for that
is our Portion. In another Place he fays. For
the Living k?20W, that they Jhall die ; but the
Dead ■ know not any things neither have they
any more a Reward. And again, fpeaking of
the Infirmities of old Age, he fays, T^hen Jhall
the Dufi return to the Earth as it was, and
the Spirit fiall return to God, who gave it. Thi^^
is not inconfiftent with the Belief, that it may
*-♦ continue

APPENDIX. 323

continue in Silence and Reft, fafe under the
Protection and Power of God, until he (liall
reinveft it with a glorious Body, at the Time
of the Renovation of all Things ; for return-
ing unto God, as he is omniprefent, is not
changing of Place 5 and it may be faid as well
to return to him, when it refts in the Grave,
under his Care and Prefence, tho' in a dor-
mant or filent State.

Ifaiah the Prophet feems to be of the fame
Opinion, when he fays, that the Right eoiis
perijheth^ &c. none conjidering^ that he is taken
away from the Evil to come -, he Jloall enter into
Peace ; they JJjall reft in their Beds^ each one
walking in his Right eoiifnefs. Which is, That
tho' the Righteous are taken away from this
Life, often fooner than the Wicked, and lie
dormant in their Graves, yet it is done out of
Kindnefs to them, to avoid the Evil coming
upon them from the Wickednefs in this
World ; for there they reft from their Labour
and Pain, and in the End they fhall depend
upon their having walked uprightly whilft
they lived upon the Earth. Had he beHeved
they had immediately upon Death entered into
Heaven, or been happily confcious in an inter-
mediate State, he would not have given for a
Reafon, that they died fooner than the Wicked,
to avoid the Evil and Pain coming upon them
here in this Life ; but that they died fooner to
obtain the Reward at the time of their Death,
of entering into a happy State.

Y 2 The

324 APPENDIX.

The Angel ia Daniel confirms this, when
he fays, And many of them that Jleep in the
Duji of the Earth Jkall awake ^ fome to ever--
lajling Life^ and fome to Shajne^ and everlafiing
Contempt. And afterwards fays, Go thou thy
Way until thy End be ; for thou floalt reji^ and
fiand in thy Lot at the End of the Days.
Thefe Expreffions can never be intended for
the Body, the Vehicle of the Soul ; for that is
incapable of Life or Senfations -, for the adlive
Spirit, or the Perfon, is that only which lives,
and guides, and direcfts it 3 and he fays, that
even Daniel himfelf iliall fo reft as the others,
and afterwards fland in his Lot at the time of
the firft Refurredion.

Thus I think, from what can be difcovered
from the general Tenor of the Writings in the
Old Teftament, that they, in a manner, all
concur, that the Soul is to be in a dormant
State, or State of Reft, until the Confumma-
tion of all Thin2;s.

I fhall next give the Opinion of the apocry-
phal Writers, who were reputed Men of the
greateft Wifdom and Knowlege amongft the
Jeivs ; tho' it has been doubtful, whether
they were divinely infpired, or their Books
canonical : But as our Saviour has repeated
feveral Paffages out of Efdras^ it muft give
that Book great Weight and Authority, the
whole Book having the Appearance of Truth,
and of being prophetical y and in it he feems to
confirm the foregoing Opinion.

I^is

, APPENDIX. 325

His firft Text, that mentions the State of
the Dead, is this : Jnd thoj'e that be dead will
I raife up again from their Places^ and bring
them out of their Graves. Again, Remember
thy Children that fleep -, for IJhall bring them
out of the Sides of the Earthy and jhew Mercy
unto them. Again, After Seven Days the World
that yet awake th not Jljall be raifed up^ and that
Jhall die that is corrupt ; aiid the Earth pall
rejlore thofe that are ajleep in hcr^ and fo JJoall
the Duft thofe that are in Silence 5 and the fecret
Places floall deliver thofe Souls that were com-
mitted to them \ for after Death fiall Judgment
come^ when we jhall live again, Thefe feveral
Texts feem to concur in the fame Opinion, of
the Tranquillity of our State from Death un-
til the general Judgment and Reftoration of all
Things, when we Ihall live again ; for were
we confcious or alive in the Grave, or in the
intermediate State, we could not he faid to
begin to live again at the time of the Refurrec-
ticn.

There is one Text in Efdras^ which may
bear a diiferent Meaning ; viz. Did not the
Souls alfo of the Righteous^ in their Chambers^
afk Sluefiions of thefe Things^ /^J^X?* ^^'^
long f:all I hope on this FajJmn ? When cometh
the Fruit of the Floor of our Reward ? Where
the Chambers of Souls may be underftood of
Graves ; and, if fo, would imply, that Souls
were confcious there, and allied Qiieftions.
And this feems to be confirmed afterwards^

Y 3 where

326 APPENDIX.

where Uriel fays, that in the Grave the Cham-
bers of Souls are like the Womb of a Woman ;
for as the Woman in travail hafiens to efcape
the Neceffty of her travail, fo does the Grave
hafle to deliver what is comt7iitted to it. But
as this Paffage feems to imply, that Souls after
Death are .embodied, and have Organs of
Speech, it would feem to be figurative, efper
cially as it differs from his Opinion in the other
Texts mentioned ; and it may be incorrectly,
copied, fince our Tranflation is only from the
Latin Copy : However, if we take the whole
Scope of the Difcourfe betwixt the Angel and
Efdras^ it may bear a different and natural
Meaning, Efdras is inquifitively aiking, Why
the Jews were call off, and their Days fhort-
ened, and when they fhould have an End ?
Uriel bids him ponder how much the evil
Seed* has increafed fince Jdam^s Time ; and
how great a Floor it would fill, when the
Ears WTre cut down : And when he ftill per-
lifted to know the End of that Time, and
why the Jews had bad Times ; the Angel
again checks him for his Inquifitivenefs, and
tells him, He had much exceeded. Upon
this it feem.s natural, that Efdras anfwers in
bis Juffification, and that they are not the
Words of Uriel ; Did not the Souls alfo of the
Righteous afk Slueftions of thefe ^hi?igs in their
Chambers ? How long ff:all I hope on this
Fafmn ? When cometh the Fruit of the Floor
of our Reward.? That is, Have not the

Riehtcoiis

APPENDIX. 327

Righteous in their Chambers, before me, alfo
fuppHcated God, in Hke manner, to know
theie Things ? And, upon this, Uriel anfwers
him to his Queftion, that the End fliould be
when the Number of Seeds was completed -,
for God had weighed the World in the Balance,
and had meafured and numbered the Times,
and made no Alteration until the Meafure was
fulfilled: And then Efdras fays, Perhaps it
was for their Wickednefs that the Floors of the
Righteous were not filed. Which brings on
the Simile of the Womb's giving up, at its
Seafon, its Charge, as the Graves fliould, when
their Charge was complete : So that the Cham-
bers there mentioned may not be intended for
the Souls after Death, but for the fecret
Prayers of the Righteous in their Life-time.

The Author of the Wifdom of Solomon fays
of the Dead, In the Sight of the Unwife they
feemed to die -, and their Departure is taken
for Mifery^ and their going from us to be
litter DeJlruBion ; but they are in Peace, — And^
in the Time of their Vifitation, they fialljhi fie ^
iind rim to and fro^ like Sparks among the
Stubble.

In this Place, talking of the Death of the
Righteous, he fays, the Unwife imagine they
are utterly gone and deftroyed, never again to
be reftored to Life 5 but they are in a State of
Peace and Reft ^ and, in their Vifitation at the
Refurreftion, they fliall again be vivified, and

Y + be

328 APPENDIX.

be in a glorious State, fhining like a Spark
among the Stubble.

Baruch, in the Prayer of the Jews^ has
thefe Words ; O Lord^ open thy Eyes, and be-
hold ; for the Dead, that are in the Graves^
whofe Souls are taken from their Bodies, will
give unto the Lord neither Praife nor
Righteoifnefs : So that we may obferve, that
the Opinion of the wifeft of the fews was,
that the Souls after Death were in a quiefcent
State, a State of Reft in the Grave, until the
general Judgment, and Refurredion of the
Body.

Having thus obferved upon the feveral Texts
in the Old Teftament, and from the Jews be-
fore our Saviour's Birth, I fliall now coniider
what is handed down to us by the infpired Pen-
men in the New Teftament, in relation to the
State of our Souls from Death to the Refur-
region.

St. Matthew has only two or three Paflages
relating to it ; viz. The Maid is not dead, but
fleepeth. Again, But, as touching the Refurrec-
tion of the Dead, have ye not read that which
was Jpoken to you by God ? I am the God of
Abraham, the God ^Ifaac, and the God of
Jacob. God is not the God of the Dead, but of
the Living, — And the Graves were opened ^ and
many Bodies of Saifits, which flept, arofe, and
came out of their Graves, after his Refurrec^
tion ', and went into the Holy City, and appeared
unto many. In the firft and laft of thefe Paff-

ages.

APPENDIX. 329

ages, Death and Sleep are fuppofed to be
nearly the fame : In the laft it can*t be fup-
pofed, that only the Bodies arofe, which were
afleep, and not the Soul or Perfon ; but it is
the Bodies of thofe Saints who flept. So it is
intended as the Sleep of the Saint, the intelli-
gent Being refiding in the Body, which tri-
umphed with our Saviour, and appeared at his
Relurredion, as a Confirmation of their future
Refurredion hereafter.

The fecond I mentioned of Abraham^ I/hac,
and Jacob's being alive, tho' at firft View it
feems to be againfl: it ; yet, upon Reflection,
and confideiing the Manner in which our Sa-
viour introduces it, to prove a future Refurrec-
tion, I think it will rather make for the State
of Reft than the other : For it could be no
Proof of a future Refurreftion, to fay, that
they were then actually alive in Heaven, but
the contrary ; for then, the Soul having acluaf
Life and Enjoyments after Death immediate-
ly, it did not from thence follow, that there-
fore there muft be a future Refurred:ion ^ but
it was a very good Argument upon the other
Suppofition, that God could not be called the
God of Abraham^ &;c. if they were not in Be-
ing, tho' at Red under his Care and Protec-
tion, until they fliould again revive at the Re-
furreftion ; for God is not the God of the
Dead, but of the Living ; and therefore, if
there was no Refurredion that they fhould live
again^ he could not be called their God.

St.

330 APPENDIX.

St. Liike^ mentioning it as a Proof of a future
Refurredtion, confirms it in ftronger Terms :
Now that the Dead are raifed^ even Mofes
Jhewed it at the Bup^ when he calleth the Lord
the God ^Abraham, &c. for he is not the God
of the Dead, but of the hiving \ for all live
imto him. And St. PauU in his Epiftle to the
Hebrews, mentioning them with the other
Saints, fays, T^hefe all, having obtained a good
Report thro Faith, received not the Fromife^
God havi?2g provided fome better thing for us,
that they without us JIdould ?2ot be made perfect :
So that they thro' Faith received the Promife
of a glorious Refurredtion by our Saviour ;
which Abraham^ he fays, received in a Figure,
upon his offering up Ifaac : Yet, notwithfland-
ing, neither he, nor any of the Saints, fhould
be made perfeft without us, until the Reftora-
tion of all Things. In raifing the dead Maid,
he fays, She is not dead, but JJeepeth, And the
Spirit came again, I don't think that Expref-
fion a fufficient Proof, that the Soul had adlu-
ally quit the Body, tho' all Motion and Senfe
were gone, and would have continued fo, if
our Saviour had not miraculoufly interpofed ;
the Words feeming to import no more, than
that her Spirit or Soul was reflored again to its
Functions and Power in the Body.

'The only two PalTages in St. hiike, that fup-
poie a Life in the Grave, are the Parable of
Dives and Lazarus, and our Saviour's Speech
on t]^ Crofs to the Thief, Todayf:alt thou be

with

APPENDIX. 331

with me in Paradife, The Parable I need not
relate, but only refer to it. In Parables it is not
neceffary, that the Whole fhould be ftridly
true, as we may obferve from the other Parables
delivered by our Saviour, but only bear a Re-
femblance, to enforce fome Truth. All that
our Saviour feems to inculcate by this Parable,
is, that the good Things of this World are not
given according to Merit, but they fliall be
given fo in the World to come ; and that thofe
who will not make, ufe of their Reafon, and
what God has revealed to them by his Prophets
in his Law and Gofpel here, muft not expcdt
to have Miracles wrought in their Favour ; and
if extraordinary Methods Ibould be made ufe
' oiy it would be of no Weight with them, if
they difobey'd his revealed Laws, and would
not. hearken to the Voice of Reafon.

x^s to the Cortex of the Parable, it feems
only to be an Embellifhment in delivering
thofe Truths ; for the Beggar lying in Abra-
ham'^ Bofom is certainly a figurative Expref-
lion, ixQiTs. Abraham'^ Faith 5 for Souls unem-
bodied can't be fuppofed to have Bofoms : His
lifting up his Eyes, and feeing Abraham at a
Pi (lance, and fpeaking to him, when, at that
time, neither of them had the Organs of
Speech or Sight, being unembodied ; and, be-
fides, are fuppofed to be at a great Diftancc
from each other, and an impaflable Gulph be-
tween them, and confequently can't be fup-
pofed to be w^ithin Hearing of each other ; his

4 defiring

332 APPENDIX.

defiring that LazarUs ihould dip the Tip of his
Finger in Water, and cool his Tongue, being
tormented in the Flame; all fuppofes a Spirit
embodied, and a material Fire: So that the
Whole feems to be figurative, and only an
Embelli(hment to convey the Truth defigned :
Befides, the one being convey 'd by Angels into
a happy State, and the other being in Torment,
muft |.refuppofe a particular and private Judg-
ment and Sentence to have pafTed ; for which
we have no Foundation from Holy Writ ; and
therefore I can't think that this can be brought
;is a Proof of Life, Happinefs, or Miiery, in
the Grave, until the general Judgment and
,Refurre(fLion.

The other Paflage of our Saviour, to the
Malefacfbor on the Crofs, feems to be much
ftronger : But, taking it in the flrongeft Senfe,
as it happened at a tim^ when the whole My-
ftery of the Redemption of Mankind was ful-
filled, and was a very remarkable Confeffion
and Inftance of Faith, in owning our Saviour
for the Son of God, by requefting him to re-
member him when he came into his Kingdom,
when others, even his Difciples, believed him
to be forfaken of God the Father ; it was
worthy of our Saviour to give him a remarkable
Inftance of his Favour, by carrying him along
with him, and making him ti'iumph over Death
and the Devil : But this ought to be no more
brought in Proof of our living, and being
confcious, from Death unto the Refurreftion,

than

APPENDIX. 333

than Enoch's Tranflation, or Elias being car-
ried up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot, ought to
be brought as a Proof, that no Man dies, but
that all go immediately to Heaven.

But, if I may be indulged a little, I believe
it may appear from the Text, without (training
the Signification, that the Malefador did not
go diredtly lo Paradife, taking the whole PafT-
age together, nor was our Saviour's Anfwer to
that Purpofe ; for *tis plain it was not the Thief's
Requeft : But the Thief being penitent, and
making fo laudable a Confeffion of his own
Crime, and of our Saviour's Divinity and Mif-
fion, he, before God and Man, at that time
owned him for the true Meffiah, and implored
his Mercy in thefe Words ; Lord^ 7'emember
vie 'when thou conr^Jl hito thy Kingdom, Which
can by no means be faid to be an immediate
Entrance into Paradife, or Heaven, that he pe-
titioned for, but when God's Kingdom began ;
which is at the laft Judgment, when our Sa-
viour fhall fay, Come^ ye BleJJed, into the King^
dom prepared for you from the Foundation of the
World, As this feems to be his Requeft, fo,
without draining the Anfwer, only tranferring
the Stop or Com.ma, our Saviour anfwers,
Verily I fay unto you this Day^ Verily I now
promife to you, that from this your Faith, and
remarkable owning me at this time, thou /halt
be with me in Paradife -, that is. When I come
into my Kingdom, thou flialt be with me.
Does not that^ without ftraining ths Text, feem

to

3^34 APPENDIX.

to be the eafy and natural Anfwer to his Re-
qtiefl, upon our Saviour's forgiving him, and
accepting of his fincere Repentance ? The Al-
teration of the Point, in this Place, makes a
great Alteration in the Senfe ; and makes a like
Alteration in St. Matthew, where our Savi®ur
lays, Te that ha^ve followed me in the Regenera-
tion, when the Son of Man fhall fit on the
throne of his Glory ^ ye fhall fit upon twelve
Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Ifrael ;
where the Comma after followed me, or after
Regeraration, makes a great Alteration of the
Senfe. Upon the Whole, I leave either Me-
thod of accounting for it to the impartial
Pvcader; but, I think, taking it in the ftrongeft
Senfe, it will not amount to a Proof of a Life
in the Grave, or after Death, before the Re-
fur recflion.

St. John, in the Fifth Chapter of his Gofpel,
is very copious upon this Point, from our Sa-
viour's Words : For as the Father raifes up the
Dead, and quickeneth them, even fo the Son
quickeneth whom he will-, for the Father judge th
no Man, but hath committed all Judgment unto
the Son. Again, Verily the Hour is coming,
and now is, when the Dcadfl^all hear the Voice
of the Son of God, and they that hear fhall live :
For as the Father hath Life in Imnjelf fo has
he given to the Son to have Life in himfelf -,
and has given him Authority to execute Judg~
ment alfo^ becaufe he is the Son of Man, Mar-
vel not at this ; for the Hour is coming, in the

which

APPENDIX, 335

^ohicb all that are in the Graves Jhall bear his
VoicCy and fiall come forth ; they that have
done Goody unto the RefiirreBion of Life ; and
they that have done Evil^ unto the Refurrec-
tion of Damnation, I can, of my own f elf do
nothing: As I hear, I judge -, and my Judg-
ment is jufl^ becaufe I feek not my own Will^
but the Will of the Father^ which hasfent 7ne,

This whole Pallage, I think, fully proves,
that our future Life and Immortality is the Gift
of God ; and, tho' our Souls are capable of
having Life in their own Nature, yet it is not
in our Power to enjoy Life adtually : For as
the Father raifes up the Dead^ and quickeneth
them, even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will.
Now, if the Soul is quick and confcious in the
Grave, from Death until the Refurredion, it is
then neither the Father, nor the Son, that
quickeneth it ; but it is inherent in the Soul to
be always quick and confcious. Our Saviour
here, to ftiew that he is the Son of God, declares,
that all Judgment is given to him by the Fa-
ther, and that Life and Immortality are the
Effeds of his Judgment and Power ; and fays,
that the Hour is coming, when all that are dead
in the Grave Jhall hear bis Voice, and fl:all
come forth ; they that have done Good, unto the
RefurreBion of Life ; afid they that have done
Evilj unto the Rejurretlion of Damnation,
Now, if Confcioufnefs is Life (which if it be
not, I can't tell what is Life), and the Soul be
confcious in the Grave, it would not magnify

his

336 APPENDIX.

his Power, to fay, that they fliould hear his
Voice, and live, and come forth of the Grave,
in cafe they were alive before in the Grave, or in
the intermediate State betwixt Death and Judg-
ment: Nor would it be a magnifying of the
Power of the Father and himfelf, by faying, the
Father had Life in himfelf, and had given the
fame Power to the Son to have Life in himfelf,
and to communicate that Life to whomfoever
he judged proper to beftow it, if the Souls of
Men had Life in themfelves, and were in their
own Nature immortal, when feparate from the
Body : But our Saviour here plainly fliews, that
Life is the Gift of God, and is given as a Re-
ward or Punifliment to us at the Refurreftion,
according to our Works; not arbitrarily of our
Saviour ; for he fiys, of himfelf he can do
nothing ; but, as he hears, he judges 5 and gives
fuch a Degree of Life, u ith Happiiicfs or Mi-
fery, as is juft and proper for the Good of the
whole Frame of Beings in the Univerfe.

St. Jobn^ in his Defcription of the Death of
Lazarus, and of our Saviour's raifing him from
the Dead, expreffeth clearly, that he was in a
dormant State. Our Saviour, fpeaking to his
Difciples, fays, Our Fricjid Lazams Jlcepeth y
but I go, that I may awake hm out of bis Sleep.
This feems to me to be as plain a Declaration
of the quiefcent or dormant State of the Soul
after Death, as can poffibly be expreifed : For
here feems to be no Figure, no Parable, but a
plain Narrative of our Saviour to liis Difciples,

that

APPENDIX. 337

that Lazarus was dead, lying dormant in his
Grave, and that he was going to give him Life
again, and awake him out of his Sleep. Had
Laza7^us been happy, and his Soul confcious
in his feparate State, either in a Paradife, or
prefent with the Divinity in Heaven, our Sa-
viour did no Service or Favour to Lazarus^
whom he loved, in bringing him back to Life
again ; for being prefent with his Divinity in
Heaven, was vaftly preferable to being pre-
fent with his Humanity here on Earth : But, if
he was in a State of Infenfibility, or dormant,
it was a Benefit to him to be reftored to Life,
and to the Society of our Saviour : For our
Saviour's expreffing his Satisfadion, upon the
Difciples Account, that he was not prefent
with him to prevent his Death, that they might
have their Faith ftrengthened by his raifing him
from the Dead, could be no Reafon, if it had
not been a Benefit to Lazarus -, for that could
have been done by raifing any other Perfon,
as well as Lazarus^ whom he loved, whofe
Life he reftored out of Love to him ; which
would not have been Love, if he was happier
in the Grave. He alfo fays, in performing the
Miracle, Lazarus, come forth : So that, from
that, it feems reafonable to believe, that the
Soul continued in the Grave dormant in the
Body y and that Hades, Hell, or the Grave,
are fynonymous Terms for the State of Inadi-
vitv in the Grave, until the laft Judgment and

Z Refur-

338 APPENDIX.

-Refurredion, when Death and Hell give up
their Dead.

St. Peter^ in the A5fs of the Apoftles, where
he reafons upon cur Saviour's Refurredion,
from David^s Expreffion, that his Soul fhould
not be left in Hades, or the Grave, nor his
Body fee Corruption, fliews, that it could not
be meant of Davids own Soul and Body, for
he was dead and buried , that his Soul there-
fore remained in Hades^ the Grave, or State
of feparate Souls ; and that his Body was cor-
rupted : For David, he fays, is not afcejided
into Heaven: And where St. Faul reafons
upon the fame Paffage at Antioch, he fays.
That David, after he had ferved his own Ge^
neration, by the Will of God, fell on fee f, and
was laid unto his Fathers, andfaw Corruption :
Wherein we may fee, that they both concur
in the fame Sentiment, that Death is a State of
Sleep and Inaditity.

In the Relation given of the Martyrdom of
Sfephen, he fays, Lord Jefus, receive my Spi-
rit 'y and when he had faid this, he fell afeep.
Here the latter Part confirms the fame Senti-
ment of a dormant State in the Grave : Yet it
may be objected, that his giving up his Spirit
to our Saviour may infer, that it lived with
him in Hades, I don't think that is a necef-
fary Inference j but only that he gave up his
Soul to the Care of our MeiTiah, until he fhould
reftore all things at the Refurredlion of the
Juft. As to his being prefent with the Perfon

of

APPENDIX. 339

of the Meffiah, it Is plain he was not ; for his
Soul, as David's, was in Hades -, but our Sa-
viour was in Heaven, whither he went to pre-
pare Manfions for the Saints, and faid, he would
come again to receive them, that where he was,
they might be alfo : But, if theii^ Souls were
with him before, he needed not to come to
receive them, and carry them with him.

St. Paul^ in his Firft Epiftle to the Corin-
thians, expreffes himfelf to be of the fame
Opinion : Many are weak andfickly among yoUy
and many Jleep, The great eji Part remain to
this prefent, but fome are fallen ajleep. If
there be no Refurre6lion, and Chrijl is not rifen^
then they alfo, which are fallen afleep in Chriji,
are perified. Tf in this Life only we have Hope^
we are of all Men moft miferable. But now is
Chrift rifenfrom the Dead, and become the Firjl-
fruits of them that Jlept : For Jifice by Man
came Death, by Man carne^ alfo the Re fur re c-
tion of the Dead. For as in Adam all die, fo in
Chrif fjall all be made alive : But every Man
in his own Order : Chrift the Firf fruits, aj-
terwards they that are Chrift' s^ at his Coming.
If after the manner of Men, I have fought
with Beafts at Ephefus, what advantages it me^
if the Dead rife not ? Let us eat and drink,-
for To-morrow we die.

Thefe feveral Texts, but particularly the
whole Argument in this xvth Chapter, feem
defigned to fliew, that we have really no Life
in the Grave 5 and that our Religion and La~

Z 2 hour

340 APPENDIX.

bour is in vain, if there be no Refurroftioil
from our State of Inactivity in the Grave : For,
as we are all doom'd to Death, a State of Silence
in the Grave, by Adam^ fo we are to be reftored
to Life again by our Saviour ; but every one in his
^wn Order i Chriji the Firji-fruits of them that
Jleep, by his Refurredlion ^ and then the refl",
in their Order, at his Coming again, (hall be
raifed up^ and vivified. Can any thing be
plainer expreffed, than this Opinion of St. PauL
from this Argument? He then adds, If there
be no Refurredion, let us enjoy and purfue all
our animal Appetites and Pleafures, and trouble
ourfelves no further -, for all, who are dead, are
periflied. This could not have been true Rea-
foning, if we were to be alive and confcious
in Hades J or the Grave, in our feparatc State,
"which, according to our Actions in this Life,
gave us Pleafure or Pain, Joy or Sorrow, upon
our Remembrance of our paft Aftions 5 for
then we could not be faid to have perifh'd, tho'
there were no Refurredtion : So that this whole
Argument was to eftablirti this Dodlrine, that,
without there be a Refurredion, Man utterly
peridies, and in the Grave has no Senfations or
Enjoyments.

In his Epiltle to the Philippians fome have
imagined him to be of a different Opinion,
when he fays, For^ to me, to live is Chrift, but
to die is Gain : Tet, what I Jloall choofe, I wot
not : For lam in a Streight betwixt two, having
a Dejire to depart y and to be with Cbriji, which

APPENDIX. 341

is far better : Neverthe/ejs, to abide in the
Flejh is more needful for you. But he after-
wards, in the iiid Chapter, fays, That I may
kjiow him, and the Power of his RefurreBion^
and the Fellowflnp of his Sufferings, being 7nade
conformable unto his Death -, if by any means I
might attain unto the Refurredfion of the Dead,
So that he apprehended, that even a State of
Silence in the Grave, under the Care and Pro-
tedlion of Chrifl, which was being with him,
in a fure Dependence of a happy Refurredion,
was much better for him, and a great Gain, com-
pared to the Troubles, Afflictions, and Bonds
he was then in, when he wrote to them : Bat
that, even in the Condition he was then in,
fince he could be of Service to them, and to the
Church, he was divided in Opinion, whether
he fhould wifh to be out of the Troubles of
this Life for his ov^n Eafe, or continue in it for
their Good, and the Good of the Church.

There is alfo an Expreffion, in his Epiftle to
the ColoJJianSy which is ufed as an Argument by
fome for a Middle State of Life ; For ye are
dead, and your Life is hid with Chriji in God^
When Chriji^ who is our Ufe^ fhall appear^
then fhall ye alfo appear with him in Glory, If
this being hid with Chrifl could be under ftood
after Death, which I apprehend, from the Con-
text, it is not, I fliould incline to think it more
agreeable to a dormant State, or State of Si--
lence, than an active confcious State; for a
Sleep may appear to be Life concealed : But^

Z 3 as

342 APPENDIX.

as I apprehend, he is reafoning with People as
they are now in this State, that if they be rifen,
with Chrift, in a Figure, from the Death of
Sin to a new Life of Holinefs, they muft feek
thofe things which are above, and fet their Af-
fedions upon them, and not upon the things
on Earth : Fcr^ fays he, ye are dead^ and your
Life is hid with Chrift in God ; that is, Ye are
dead to the Pleafures and Enjoyments of Senfe,
in this Life -, but your Life^ which you expedt
by Faith in Heaven, is at prefent hid with
Chrift in God : But when he, who is our Life^
Jhall appear^ then Jloall ye alfo appear with him
in Glory,

In his Epiftle to the T!heJ[alonians^ he more
fully confirms his Dodrine of the dormant
State of the Dead,: frying, But I would not
hai^e you be ignorant concerning them that are
ajleep ; that ye forrow not^ even as others who
have no Hope : For if we believe^ that fefiis
died^ and rofe again ^ even fo thofe alfo^ which
fleep in jfefus^ will God bring with him ; for
we which are alive, and remain unto the Coming
of our Lord, Jhall not prevent them which are
ajleep. So that this whole Account feems cal-
culated to fhew them, that tho' all who die
are in a dormant inad:ive State, yet they are
not perifhed, but will be reftored to Life at the
Coming of our Saviour to Judgment. He fays
afterwards, to "Timothy, That a Crown of Righ-
teoufnefs is laid up for him at the Day of his
Appearance,

APPENDIX. 343

I fhall only barely mention, in Confirmation
of this Dodrine, that Life is not inherent in
our Nature, the feveral Texts of St. Paut^
fliewing, that Life and Immortality arc the
Gift of God, and only difcovered by his Go-
fpel, to them isoho by patient Continuance in
Well-doing feek for Glory, and Honour, and
Immortality, eternal Life, If it were in-
herent in our Nature, why fhould it be joined
with Glory and Honour, which we petition
and fearch for ? For the Wages oj Sin is Deaths
but the Gift of God is eterftal Life : For to
this End Chriji both died, and rofe, and re^
*vived, that he might be Lord both of the Dead
and Living ; that is, That he might have a
Power to give either Death or Life. Again^
Who only hath Immortality : But is 720W made
manifejl by the Appearing of our Saviour Chrifl\
who hath aboUfhed Death, and hath brought
Life and Im?nortality to Light through the
GofpeL In hopes of eternal Life, which Gody
who cannot lye, promifed before the World began.
Thefe feveral Texts fhew, that Life and Im-
mortality are the Gift of God.

St. Peter^ in his General Epiftles, has but
one Expreflion of Death, which he alfo com-
pares to Sleep, faying, Where is the Promife of
his Coming ? for, fmce the Fathers fell ajleep,
all things continue as they were from the Begin-^
ning of the Creation.

In the Revelation of St. John, he fays. And
they lived and reigned with Chriji one thoufand

Z 4 Tears ),

344 APPENDIX.

Tears -, but the reji of the Dead lived not until
the thoiifand Tears were JiniJJ:ed. This is the.
Jir/i Refurre5fion. This is an exprefs Decla-.
ration, that the Dead were in a State of Silence,
or dormant, and did not enjoy Life until the
thoufand Years were finifhed.

A?id Ifaw the Dead, /mall and great y fiand
before God. And the Sea gave up the Dead
which were in it -, and Death and Hell deli-
vered up the Dead which were in them ^ and
they were judged, every Ma?i according to his
Works : And Death and Hell were cajl into the
Lake of Fire. This is the fecond Death. Thus
Death, Hell, and the Grave, are fuppofed to
have been in Poffeiiion of the Souls as well as
Bodies of Men, until the general Judgment. I
heard a Voice., foy^^^^g^ Ble£'ed are the Dead
which die in the Lord-, for they Jhall rejl from
their Labours, and their Works follow them.
That only mentions a State of Reft in Death
from their Toils and Labour in this Life -, and
their good Works follow them \ that is, will be
teftified and appear at the Refurredion and laft
Judgment.

There is only one PaiTage in thefe Revela-
tions, which feems to be aa Objedlion to this
Doctrine -, viz. Ifaw under the Altar the Souls
of them that were Jlain for the Word of God,
and for the Tejiimony which they held ; and they
cried with a loudVoice,fayi7ig, How long, O Lord ^
holy and true, doji thou not judge and avefige our
Blood on them that dwell on the Earth ? And

white

APPENDIX. 345

ivhite Robes were given unto every one of them :
And it was f aid unto them^ that they JJ^ould reft
yet for a little Seafon^ until their Fellow-fe?^-^
vants alfo^ and their Brethren^ that fl:ould be
killed as they were^ fiould be fulfilled.

As this is wrote in the prophetic Stile, I
think it cannot invalidate the general Dodlrine
infifted upon in the apoftolical Writings. If
it were defigned to be underftood literally,
then they were adually lying under an Altar
in Heaven, and had Organs of Speech -, for
they cried with a loud Voice ; and had white
Robes given to them -, fo that they were em-
bodied : But, as the Whole feen:)s to be figura-
tive, it is only intended to fhew, that they muft
remain as they are until the whole Scheme of
Providence be fulfilled ; for nothing will hap-
pen to their Enemies, until the Completion of
all things at the laft Judgment. Their calling
out for Vengeance fliews it alfo to be figurative ;
for, when departing Saints pray for their Ene-
mies, it is not to be believed, that Saints and
Martyrs, after Death, pray for Vengeance?
againft them. Nor is it lefs figurative than in
the next Chapter, upon Sealing of the Twelve
Tribes, when ' he beheld a great Multitude, of
•^ all Nations, whom none could number, be-
^ fore the Throne in Heaven, cloathed with
'^ white Robes, praifing God, and the Lamb,
* in Concert with all the Angels, Elders, and
^ four Beafts -, which, the Elder told him, were
^ fuch as had fufifered here, and had wadded.

' tJ.tcir

346 APPENDIX.

* their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb, who

* ferve God always, who dwells among them :

* Thefe fliall never fuffer any more ; but the

* Lamb fliall feed them, and lead them to

* living Waters, and wipe away their Tears.'
This all is plainly a figurative Defcription of
what Saints (hall enjoy after the Confummation
of all things : So that thefe figurative Vifions
can be no Foundation for any Dodlrine.

There are two or three other Paflages in the
New Teftament infifted upon by the great Dr,
Henry More^ and others, as a Proof of the
Soul's being alive, and confcious, in HadeSy
from the time of Death until the Refurredlion ;
"which I fhall mention, and obferve upon, and
leave it to the Reader, whether the Interpreta-
tion I fhall give them be not as natural and plain
as theirs, who bring them as a Proof for the
Confcioufnefe of the Soul after Death in Hades.
The firft I fhall mention is in St. Peters
Epiftle : For Chrijl alfo has once jliffered for
Sins, the yufl for the Unjuji, that he might
hring lis to God-, being put to Death in the
Flejh, but quickened in the Spirit (according ta
Dr. More, ^ but fafe and alive as to his Soul

* and Spirit'): By which alfo he went and
preached unto the Spirits in Prifon, which
fometimes were difobedient, when o?ice the Long--
fuffering of God waited in the Di'ys of Noah,

while the Ark was preparing, wherein few, that
is, eight SoiiU^ were faved by Water, This Pafl-
age he and others bring as a Proof, that our

Saviour^

APPENDIX. 347

Saviour, at that time, preached to the Souls of
all thofe who periflied in the Deluge, after be-
ing drowned, and in Hades-, and confcquently,
if they had not been alive, he would not have
preached to them after Death. This feems to
be a nice Paffage to found fuch a Doctrine up-
on, as to allow a State of Probation in the Grave,
which feems to be contrary to the whole Tenor
of the Holy Scripture. I fliould therefore think,
that an Interpretation of this Kiu^ feems to be
as natural : St. Peter is encouraging Chriftians
to live well, and to fuffer for doing Good :
*■' For, fays he, our Saviour Chrift has done fo,
* to bring us to God ; being put to Death
^ in the Flefli, but raifed up by the Spirit of
^ God : By which Spirit he alfo formerly, in
^ the Days of Noah, while the Ark was pre-
^ paring, went and preached unto thofe Spirits,

< or human Souls, who had difobeyed God,^
^ who were then imprifon'd in their finful Bo-

< dies upon this Earth 3 whom God, in his
^ Long-fufFering, forbore, all the time the Ark
^ was preparing/ I don't fee a more natural
Prifon for human SoulSj than our Bodies, when
alive in this Globe : And, if this be the only
State of Probation we have (for as the Tree
falls, there it fiall lie)y it is the only Place
where Preaching can be of Ufe : For, if we
can alter and amend our Souk in the Grave,
without which Preaching would fignify no-
thing there, then there muft be a State of
Prgbation in the Grave : And, thp' this would

348 APPENDIX.

not amount to a Popifh Purgatory, becaufe
they would be faved by their own Adl, upon
being preached to, and not by the Prayers and
Offerings of others to the Priefts ; yet it might
have a very bad Effed: in this Life, if we
fhould believe, that we have another State of
Probation in the Grave, which is a very
dangerous Doctrine to be fupported by the In-
terpretation of a very doubtful Text 3 nor can
it poffibly be .--Interpreted of the Spirits or Souls
which had perifhed in the Deluge, but ex-
prefly the contrary from the Text ; for his
Preaching to the Spirits in Prifon was whilfl:
the Ark was preparing ; confequently, before
the Deluge ; and would plainly allude to his
Preaching by the Spirit, thro' Noahy all the
time he was preparing the Ark.

The next I fliall mention is the 8th Verfe
of the vth Chapter of the Second Epiftle to the
Corinthians: We are confident ^ I fa)\ and will-
ing rather to be abfent from the Body^ and to
be prejent nvith the Lord, From whence they
would infer, that the Moment we throw off
our earthy Vehicle, we live in adtual Com-
munication with Chrifl, in his Prefence, and
are confequently confcious. But if we take
the whole Argument, from the latter Part of
the former Chapter to the nth of this Chap-
ter, we fhall find, that it is after the Judg-
ment and Refurredtion, that we fhall be pre-
fent with the Lord, which was what he ear-
jieftly wifli'd and pray'd for. For, fays St.

Paul^

APPENDIX. 349

Paul^ We know that he that rat fed up our Sa^
viour J ejus Chriji^ fiall alfo raije us up ; for
which Reafoji we do not fault : For, tho' our
outward, terreftrial Vehicle, or Body, pcriflies,
yet our inward, CEthereal Vehicle, is improve-
ing Day by Day : For our prefent light Aflic-
t ions are nothing ^when compared with the glorious
Immortality we pall have at the Refurreciion^
which we look for by the Eye of Faith \ for we
know^ that if this our earthy Tabernacle or
Vehicle was difolved, we have a Building of
God^ a Hoife not fnade with Hands^ eternal
in the Heavens^ an aethereal Body ; for in this
nve groan earnellh\ defiring to be cloathed upon
with our Hoife which is from Heaven, that is,
our heavenly Body, after the Refurredtion, if
fo be, that, being cloathed^ we fjall not befomtd
naked ; provided w^e are , not without moral
Virtues and Perfections, which if we fhould
want, we could not fill our asthereal Vehicle ;
for, whilft we are in this terreftrial Body ,we
are uneafy, being burden'd with it ; not that
we defire to be uncloathed, or without a Body,
and Senfations ; but that we might be cloathed
upon by filling our aethereal Body, that IVIor-
tality, in the State of Death, when we are un-
cloathed, may befwallcwed up of Life : Now
he that does all this for us, is God, who hath
given us the Earneft of the Spirit, viz. by his
Raifing of Chrift from the Dead, fo that we are
confident of this Immortality ; knowing, that
whilft we are in our terreftrial Vehicle, we are

abfent

350 APPENDIX.

abfent from the Lord -, for we walk by Faith j
not by Sight, in this Body -, but we are con-
fident, when we have put off this Body, and
are cloathed upon with our heavenly Body,
that we iliall be prefent with the Lord : Where-
fore, whether in that, or this State, we labour
to be accepted of him ; for we muft all appear
before his Judgment-feat, that every one may
receive what is done in this Body, whether it
be good or bad.

The only other Text infifted upon is this ;
Fear not them that kill the Body, hit are not
able to dejiroy the Soul ; but rather fear hinty
*who is able to dejiroy both Soul and Body in
Hades or Hell This I think has no Weight
againft the foregoing Doctrines ; for it feems
to be no more than this, Don't be afraid of
the Powers of Darknefs in this World 5 for al!
the Harm they can do you, is to deprive you
of animal Life, by feparating you from your
terreftrial Body or Vehicle -y but fear him, who,
after this Life, can prevent your enjoying
eternal Life^ by having a Power to continue
your Soul and Body in Hell or Hades^ or re-
manding you there, after the general Judg-
ment, for ever.

Thefe are the only Texts that are urged in
Defence of the Opinion of our Souls being
confcious from Death to the Refurredlion ^
and I think they all rather concur in fupport-
ing the other Opinion, that the Soul continues
in the fame quiefcent State, as it has been in

from

APPENDIX. 35t

from the Mofaic Creation, until it animated a
human Body at Birth.

I have now gone thro' all the PafHiges, re-
lating to our feparate State, that are in the
Holy Scriptures ; and, after fully confidering
them in the befl: manner I am capable of, I
think the whole Tenor of them confirms the
Opinion of a dormant State of the Soul from
Death to the Refurredlon : And I think I
have made it appear from the foregoing
Treatife, that it is not inconfitlcnt Vvith Reafon
and Philofophy ; nor do I think it any-way
inconfiftent with our Hopes as Chriltians, but
rather confirms and eftabliflies the Chriftian
Religion, by fliewing the Neceflity there was
for our Saviour's Refurredlion, to confirm us
in the Certainty of a future Life, and eftablifli
our Faith in the Refurreftion, and future
general Judgment, and Diftribution of Re-
wards and Punifhments : But if it w'ere true,
that we are confcious in the Grave, and that
the Soul at Death, feparated from this terre-
flrial Body, had affumed its sethereal Vehicle,
and fo afcended to the aethereal Plains, freed
from the Clog of Matter, and enjoy 'd the
Prefence of God 3 then there would feem to
be no Neceflity for a Refurreftion of the Body,
and a future Judgment, fince Rewards and
Punifliments were adtuaily diftributed to the
Soul at Death ; and our Saviour, to eftablifh
this Truth, inftead of his rifing with his Body,
and afterwards afcending, and changing it for
7 / his

352 APPENDIX.

his aethereal Body, changing his mortal for his
immortal Cloathing, ought rather to have ap-
peared as a Spirit without a Body, at the Mo-
ment of his Death, when his Spirit was fepa-
rated from his Body. I cannot fee the leaft
Foundation, in Holy Writ, for any particular
Judgment or Sentence to be pafled upon us at
our Death ; the whole Tenor of the Gofpels,
and the apoftolical Writings, are demonftaable
to the contrary. St. Paul hys, 'Judge noihi72g
before the Time^ u?itil the Lord conie^ who both
'Will bring to Light the hidden T^hings of T^ark-
nefs^ and will make manifejl the Counfels of
the Heart'-, and then Jhall every Man have
Praife of God : For we miijl all appear before
the Judgment-feat of Chriji^ that every one
may receive the I'hings done in his Body, accord-
ing to that he hath done, whether it be good or
bad, St. Peter fays, that the Vnjufl are re^
ferved unto the Day of Judgment, to he punifh^
ed. If I were to mention every Paflage that
confirms this, I fhould fwell it into a Volume..
It does not feem confiftent with the
general Scheme of Providence, nor the Dignity
of our Saviour, that a particular Judgment
jQiould pafs upon every one at Death. The
Father has given all Judgment to the Son, and
he is to remain in Heaven until the general
Judgment : Does the Soul then immediately
go up to Heaven to be judg'd ? Or is it to be
fuppofed, that our Saviour fhould delegate his
Power to others ? or that, after a private

Judgment

\

APPENDIX. 353

Judgment and Sentence upon each, a general
Tryal and Judgment fhould be held before
Men and Angels : It feems much more ratio-
nal, and conliftent with Scripture, to think,
that as the Tree falls, there it (hall lie, until the
general Judgment, and Diftribution of Re-
wards and Punifliments. If then no particular
Judgment is held, or Sentence pafled upon us
at our Deaths ; then what Advantage can it
be to the Juft to be confcious until the Day of
Judgment ? It is no way reafonable to think
they fhould pretend to judge themfelves 3 and
as the beft have had many Infirmities, and
were guilty of Sins here, and there being no
Repentance in the Grave, they mufl be anxious
and uneafy for feveral Ages, Many from the
firfl Peopling of the Earth not being able to
weigh whether their Faith, and good Adtions,
overbalanced their Sins ; it is plain they could
have no Certainty, if they had it not before
their Death ; and a Sufpenfe of fo many Ages
muft give little Satisfaction ; nor is it confiil-
ent with the Wifdom of God, that they
fliould be rewarded before he had pafled his
Sentence ; and the certain Knovvlege of a
future Happinefs muft be a Reward before
the time : So, in like manner, would the
Knowlege of a future State of Mifeiy be a
Punifhm.ent, before Tryal and Conviction, to
the Unjufl and Wicked, which I think is not
agreeable to Divine Wifdom and Jufiice ^ fo
that in fuppofing we are to be confcious in the

A a Grave,

354 APPENDIX.

Grave, the Juft and Unjuft muft be in part
rewarded and pumfhed before Tryal and
Convidion. Is it not more probable, that each
might remain in a quiefcent or dormant State,
which appears to be but a Moment in eternal
Duration, until they are fummoned to appear
at the general Judgment by the Trump of
God, than to fuppofe them in an anxious State
for fo many Ages ? This Doftrine cannot have
any ill Confequence, or give any Countenance
to the Wicked, by putting the evil Day far
from them ; for they ftill have a Certainty of
a Judgment and Punifhment to corne, and
that, I may fay, immediately to them ; it being
like lying down in the Evening to fleep, and
rifing next Morning to be judg'd, and receive
Sentence.

It is no-way inconfiftent with divine Revela-
tion, and true Philofophy, that Life and Im-
mortality hereafter fliould be the Gift of God,
as well as our firft Being and Life have been
from his Goodnefs. And the Apoftle affures
us, that Life and Immortality were his Gift,
and brought to Light thro' the Gofpel ; and
confequently, are not inherent in our Nature,
tho' Adivity and Self-motion may be origi-
nally in us ; and as we have been inconfciou^
before our Conception and Birth, fo may we
continue after Death, until the folemn Trump
of God roufes us, when the Dead in Chrift
fliall rife firft ; and probably their Judgment
may be over before the reft of Mankind, and

the

APPENDIX. 355

the fallen Angels, are judged, wherein they
will aflift in judging them, according to fome
Expreflions in Scripture. This is faid to be
the firft Refurredion, which St. Paul laboured
to obtain ; but the Wicked, and fallen Angels,
who are referved in everlafting Chains of
Darkncfs, which may be underftood of a
dormant inadlive State, ^nd the reft of the
human Species, who are dormant in Hadea^
(liall be delivered up by the Sea, Death, and
HaJes^ and after Judgment fliall be thrown
into the Lake of Fire, which is the fecond
Death; which is in Oppofition to the firft:
Refurredion, which is exprefled by Hving and
reigning with the Lord : Whereas the others are
deprived of Joy, and perhaps fometimes of Life ;
being thrown out of the sethereal Regions into
the great Abyfs of Fire, the Center of out
Syftem, the Sun ; or perhaps all the fixt Starg
and Suns, Planets, &c, are made one great
Abyfs, if the whole Univerfe be judged to-
gether 5 where either adual Puniftiments may
attend them, or they may be fometimes con-
fcious, fometimes inconfcious ; being fome-
times in a dormant State to endlefs Ages, or
an indeterminate Eternity, unlefs fome new
Scene is open'd for them by the Goodnefs,
Wifdom, and determinate Counfel, of the Di-
vine Being.

Thus I can't, from either Scripture or
Reafon, apprehend, that a dormant State, un-

A a 2 til

356 APPENDIX.

til the laft Judgment, is difadvantageous to our
Hopes, or inconfiftent with our Religion -, and
it feems more agreeable to our Nature to be
laid dormant in our Graves at our Death ; and
be raifed, as it were, next Moment, to a glo-
rious Immortality, at the general Judgment ;
than to be in a middle State confcious, without
either being acquitted or convifted until the laft
Judgment -, which at beft can only be an an-
xious State, without Society 5 which feems only
to be allowed to us when joined to our Vehicles
or Bodies properly inflated, and in Order.

Whether the Soul at Death retains any of its
Confcioufnefs of part Adions before the Re-
furredion, whilft in its dormant State, feems
to have no Foundation from Holy Writ to
found a Dodlrine of Faith upon it -, but, from
the whole Tenor of Scripture, it feems clear,
that it has no adtlve Powers, or outward Sen-
fations, nor any Communication with other
focial Beings, until it is reftored to its ^ethereal
Vehicle or Body at the Refurredlion, when its
final Doom is to be pronounced for future
Glory or Punifhment to endlefs Ages, or an
indeterminate Eternity. Therefore, by this
Hypothefis, an End is put to all the fabulous
Fabric of Purgatory, built upon that interme-
diate State, of living and being confcious in
the Grave -, being allowed there a fecond State
of Probation ; whereas our only State of
Probation, and Purgatory, is in this Life, in

our

APPENDIX. J57

our animal State here : For the fame Reafon,
Prayers to Saints, as IntercefTors, are ufelefs
and nugatory, fince they can't hear us, or
know any thing about us ; and Popifh Relics
are fo much idle Trumpery to impofe upon
the Laity, and debafe our human Nature.

Aa 5

Do^or

358 APPENDIX,

DoBor Henry More'i Jkort and faithful Para-

phrafe on Ezekiel'i Vifion of the Mercava

(or Chariot of the God of Ifrael), reprefent-

ing embkinatically the Kingdom of the Mef

fiah^ and the Revolution of Souls thro the

• Four Worlds or States of Aziluth, Briah,.
Jetzirah, and Afiah, from the Hebrew
Text.

EZEKIEL, Chap. L

" I-T^JOW it came to pafs, in the thir-
*' 1^ ^'^^^^ Year, in the fourth Month,
'' in the fifth Day of the Month, when I was
" in the Middle of the Captivity, by the
^^ River Chehar^ that the Heavens were opened,
*' and I faw Vifions of God.

2. '' I lay. In the fifth Day of the Month
(it was the fifth Year of King jfehoiakim's

^' Captivity).

3. '' The Word of Jehovah came to Eze-
'' kiel the Prieft, the Son of Buzi, in the
*^ Land of the Chaldceans^ by the River Che^
*^ bar-, and the Hand of Jehovah was there
*' upon him.

4. ^' And I looked, and, behold ! a Whirl-
*' wind came out of the North, a great Cloud,
«' and a Fire in the Middle of the Cloud, in-
<* folding itfelf (or, as it were, catching and

taking hold of itfelf); and a Brightnefs was

'' about

((

C(

^

FOLIXXJT
HERE

APPENDIX. 359

" about it ; and from the Midfl: of this Bright-
" nefs, viz, out of the Middle of the Fire,
*' which was the Center or Middle of the
'^ Brightnefs, there appeared, as it were, the
'' Llkenefs of Amber [Cha/mal),

f. '' And in the Middle of the Brightnefs
*' there appeared the Likenefs of four living
" Creatures: This was their A fped:^ they had
*' the Likenefs of a Man.

6. " And every one had four Faces, and
** every one four Wings.

7. '' And their Feet a ftrait (upright)
*' Foot, and the Sole of their Foot like the
" Sole of a Calf's Foot, and fparkling like
*' the Appearance of burniili'd Brafs.

8. *' Moreover, the Hands of a Man were
" under their Wings ; and to a Quaternion of
'* their Quadrants (that is, to one of the four
" Sides of each of the four Animals) were

both Faces {viz, human), and Wings.

9. '' And they were joined by their Wings,
one to another -, they returned not when

" they went : They went every one ftrait

" forward.

10. '' And this was the Likenefs of their
" Faces ; The firft (or anterior) was the Face
*' of a Man ; Then the Face of a Lion to the
" right Hand (of each of the four Animals) -,
" but at the left Hand, to a Quaternion of them
** was the Face of an Ox: And laftly (on

the pofterior Side) was the Face of an
Eagle, to a Quaternion of them.

A a 4 II.

u

u

u

36o APPENDIX.

cc

li

11. *' And fo indeed were their chief Faces
(that is, of every one one chief Face) placed ;
bat a Fair of Wings was extended, outwards
and upwards, from every one (Animal) ;
and a Fair joined or coupled together at the

*' anterior Part of each Animal ^ and laftly,
*' a Fair covered the hinder Parts of the Body.

12. *' And they went every one ftrait for-
" w^ard thitherward, whither the Face looked:
" V/hitherfoever the Spirit was to go, they

went ; and they returned not when they
,went.

13. '^ As for the Likenefs of the Animals,
their Appearance like burning Coals of Fire ;
like the Appearance of Lamps -, the Fire it-
feif ran up and down among the Animals ;
and there was Brightnefs to the Fire itfelf ;
and out of the Fire went forth Lightning.

14. " And the Animals ran and returned
as the Appearance of a Flafh of Lightning.
15-, ^' And when I beheld the Animals,
there appeared one Wheel upon the Earthy

*' belide the Animals with the Quaternion of
*' their Faces,

16. '' The Appearance of the Wheels, and
" their Work, as the Appearance of the Stone,
'^ Tharj^Sy or as the Appearance of the Sea ,
*' and one Likenefs to the Quaternion of them ;
«' and their Appearance, and their Work, as if
<« there had been a Wheel in the Middle of a
^' Wheel.

17-

Cc

cc

cc

APPENDIX. 361

17. *' They went in a Quaternion of their
Quadrants : Whilfl the Animals went, they
returned not when they went.

18. '' They themfelves alfo had Rings
(that is, Limbs, or Rims of the Wheels),
and thefe high and formidable, and all every-

" where full of Eyes.

jp. '' And when the Animals walked, in
*' the like Manner the Wheels alfo went be-
" fide them ; and when the Animals were
'' hfted up from the Earth, the Wheels were
'' hfted up alfo.

20. " Whitherfoever the Spirit went,
" thither were alfo the Wheels lifted up,
" following the Spirit as he went; for the
*' Spirit of the Animal was in the Wheels.

21. *' When thofe went, thefe went ; and
^^ when thofe flood, thefe flood -, and when
'^ thofe were lifted up from the Earth, the
'^ Wheels were lifted up along with them, be-
" caufe the Spirit of the Animal was in the
'' Wheels.

22. " And the Likenefs of the Firmament
^' upon the Heads of the Animals, as the Ap-
^' pearance of Cryflal, terrible, flretched
'^ forth over their Heads above.

^3. '' And under the Firmament were their
Wings ereded, to each of them two, to its
neighbour Wing on each Hand, namely,
one to one, the other to the other ; every
one had two, which covered their Bodies on
this Side (the Forefide) 3 and every one had

'' two.

(C

(c

362 APPENDIX.

** two, which covered their Bodies on that
^* Side, the poilerior.

24.. ^' And I heard the Sound of theif
** Wings as the Sound of many Waters, and
" as the Sound of the Ahiiighty [viz, Alti-
** tonttntis^ or of Thunder) ; when they
* * went, I fay, I heard the Voice of Speech,
*' as the Noife of an Hoft; and when they
" ftood, they let down their Wings.

2f. *^ For when there was a Voice above
*^ the Firmament, which was over their Heads,
*' they Hood, and let down their Wings.

'' 26. " And above the Firmament, that
*• was over their Heads, was the Likenefs of
** a Throne, appearing like a Sapphire Stone ;
*' and upon the Likenefs of the Throne was
** the Likenefs of the Appearance of a Man
'• above, upon it.

27. " And I faw as the Appearance of
" Ckafmal (Amber); and as the Appearance
*' of its HoLife of Fire, from the Appearance
*' of his Loins, and upwards, and fiom the
" Appearance of his Loins, even downwards,
*' furrounding and pervading ; and I faw the
^* Appearance of Fire, which had a Brightnefs
** roundabout.

2 8. *' As the Appearance of the Bow
*' which is made in the Cloud in the Day of
** Rain, fo was the Appearance of the Bright-
^* nefs round about. This was the Vifion of
** the Likenefs of the Glory of Jehovah -, and
'* I beheld, and fell upon my Face 3 and I
*' heard the Voice of one fpeaking.

Chap.

APPENDIX. 363

Chap. X.

2. ^* And he faid unto the Man cloathed
" with Linen, go in between the Wheels iin-
" der the Cherubs, and fill thine Hands with
'' Coals of File from between the Cherubs.

7. '' And a Cherub lent forth his Hand
" from between the Cherubs, and took and
'* put into the Hands of him that was cloathed
*' with Linen.

5>. *' And I looked, and beheld four Wheels,
*' be fide the Cherubs ; one Wheel was be fide
'' one Cherub, and another Wheel befide an-
*^ other Cherub.

II. *' When they went, they wTnt in a
*' Quaternion of their Quadrants ; they re-
'^ turned not iis they went 3 but to the
*' Place to which the Head looked, thither
" they went, neidier returned they as they
" went.

3 2. " And all their Fleih, and their Backs,
*' and their Hands, and their Wings, and the

Wheels, were fall of Eyes round about, in

the Quaternion of the Wheels themfelves.

13. " It was cried unto the Wheels them-
felves, in my Hearing, O Wheels !

14. " And there were four Faces to every
*' one, whether Cherub or Wheel ; the Face
" of the firft the Face of a Cherub, and the
'' Face of the fecond the Face of a Man 5 and
^^ to the third was the Face of a Lion, and to
*' the fourth the Face of an Eagle,

IS-

<(

<(

364 APPENDIX.

15-. *' And the Cherubs were lifted up:
*' This is the Animal that I faw by the River
" Che bar.

20. '' This is the Animal which I faw un-
" der the God of Ifrael, in the River Chebar-,
' and I knew that they were Cherubs."

Dr. H. M o R eV Expofitio Mercavse
abridged.

Pojiulate i.
p N Cabala, Mercavce are moft profound
.vlyileries.

Pofl, 2. All Souls, as well angelic as human,
and alfo that of the Meffiah, were created in
the Beginning, with the material World itfelf;
and do always coexift with it, it being for
their fake.

Poji, 3 . The whole material World, in its
primeval State, was either diaphanous or lucid;
that is, diftributed into Suns and tranfparent
Heavens, or aethereal Vortices. See Fig, ijl.

Poji. 4. There are two chief Elements of
the material Worlds one natural, the other
divine : The former is the Subjed: of the
Operations of Sandulphon, the Spirit of Nature ;
the latter the Vehicle of the Holy Spirit ; that
true celeftial Manna ^ the Food of Angels, and
holy Souls, every-where interfperfed in the
sethereal Matter, as a holy divine Salt or Sea-

foning;

APPENDIX. 365

foning ; being the Principle of Incorruption
(but the natural Element of Corruption) : Hence
iEther, in Genejis i. called Shamayim, in the
dual Number.

Scholium to Poft. 4..
The heavenly Manfia, the Bread of God,
Bread of Life, fupereflential (fiibiiantial) Bread,
Flefh of Chrift (his Blood being the vital
Undion of the Holy Spirit), Food of Angels^
and regenerate Souls, &c. is that divine Element
of celeflial Matter, fubjed to the Thcanthrope,
univerlally receptive of the Divine Impreflions,
of the Divine Light and Love of the Logos ^
and Holy Spirit, communicated to the regene-
rate mofl inward Vehicles of holy humble
Souls, in proportion to their hungering and
thirfting after Righteoufnefs (of which this h
the Vehicle). This univerfally-diffnfed divine
Element was withdrawn from the Vehicles of
lapfed Spirits, iefl: they fliould abufe its divine
magical Virtues, to the Difturbance of the
non-lapfed World -, and therefore they had the
Element of corruptible Matter (or diabolic)
made and appropriated for their Ufe. Thefe
two Elements are mutually repulfive of each
other : Original Sin fubfifts in the evil Element,
where the Devil, the World, and the Flelh,
reign : The moft inward Vehicle of the old Man,
the Grace of God, his Light and Love, are em.-
bodied (fo to fpeak) in the good Element ; by
which means good Spirits have ineffable Cor-
refpondencies of Good, and do rule the mate-
rial

366 APPENDIX.

rial World, in a manner we call miraculous.
This divine Salt, the more replete our moft in-
ward Vehicle is with it, the more does our
Hunger and Thirft after Righteoufnefs increafe,
till we arrive at the Fulnefs of the Stature of
Chrift, when, being perfed:ed, we are fully
fatisfied with that Peace of God, which pajfeth
all Vjiderjlandiug, the tranquil and endlefs
Joys of the Holy Ghoft : Of this the Holy
Spirit is the Oeconomus, as the Spirit of Nature
of the common Matter of the Univerfe. Hence
thofe delightful Senfatlons attending Works of
Holinefs, the fweet pleafant Fruits of Humili-
ty, Charity, Purity, Faith obediential, divine,
G?^. Even the bare Speculation of them, after
injeded or emergent Tentations, have been
baffled by this Divine Inftind:. So, in Mufic,
appears a Concord following a Difcord. Thus
alfo the Spirit of Nature orders the Senfations
and Inflindl of animal Bodies, regarding the
animal Nature.

This divine Element is the Chafmal of F^ze-
kiel\ Vilion of the Mercava (by TeniKra Ca-
halt flic a) y the material Undlion of Chrift's mofk
inward Vehicle.

Poft, 5. The Sun, in every Vortex, is the
Center, and loweft Part j the Afcent from the
Sun, the Defcent to it.

Pvfl. 6. A Vortex may be divided into four
concentric Orbs or Worlds (unequal), and
term'd, the utmoft or higheft, Aziluth-y the
next, Briah; the third, Jetzirahi the loweft

3 ^^'

APPENDIX. 367

or inmoft, Afiah (or Afid), The firfl:, Aziltdb
(abforb'd in divine Contemplations), extends
from the Margin of the Vortex to Saturn ; the
fecond, Briah (focial or pohtical), from Saturn
to Mars ; the third, Jetzirah (leonine and bel-
luine), from Mars to Mercury-^ the fourth,
AJia (mechanical), from Mercury to the fri-
gefcent Sun ; Afia fuperior, from Mercury to
the Atmofphere of the now frigid Star ; Afia
inferior, the Atmofphere and Body of the fi i-
gid Star itfelf.

Hence, perhaps, Saturn and Jupiter were
worfhip'd by the Sons of Darknefs, corrupting
old Traditions, at the Will of their Prince, the
old Serpent, as prefiding over Counfel and Be-
nignity ; Mars and Ve^nus over the irafcible and
concupifcible ; Mercury over Manufadures^
technical and mechanical : Thus alfo aftrologi-
cal Indications. Fig. 2.

Pojl. 7. All Souls, even Aziluthic, were
cloathed with corporeal Vehicles ; they being
the Inftruments of Senfation and Commerce,
the higheft Gratifications of animal, or perhaps
of created Natures : The deeper immers'd ia
the Vortex, the more grofs the Vehicle.

Poji. 8. There is a Revolution of human
Souls thro' all the four Worlds, Aziluth, &c.
either by Divine Fate, or their own Fault ;
The Periods unequal, efpecially the Aziluthic
and Br i at hie,

Pofl, Q. The legitimate Revolution of an-
gelic Souls no lower than AJia fuperior : Their

Vehicle,^

368 APPENDIX.

Vehicles richer in fenfual Gratifications than
the human ; but their Souls lefs addidled to
divine Things. Hence fome of them fell firft,
by breaking forth miojetzirab without Divine
Leave, out oi Briah , in which, and in Jzi-
lutb^ Innocence reigned univerfally : And there
the augmented Delights and Vigour of their
Vehicles, thro' the greater Heat of the Sun,
allured them to thefe inordinate Deeds, by the
divine Magic of thofe Regions ; and to the
traiterous Embaffy of Opbioneus^ which occa-«
fioned to them the Name oiRephaim^ or Giants ;
and to human Souls, the Lapfe out of Briab^
by joining the rebel Angels.

Pojl. 10. Souls which Aide down into AJia^
not thro' their own Fault, but by Divine Fate,
return fafe into Azilntb ; neither broken by
Adverfity, nor foften'd by Pleafures^ aided in
all States by Grace Divine.

Fqft, 1 1. In Azilutb^ the Souls of Men and
Angels, wholly intent on Divine Love, and
fublime Speculations, negledl, and fcarcely per-
ceive, the Life of the natural Vehicle. From
the igneous and vivacious Nature of this Life,
and of the Matter of this Region, it is named
Cerium Empyreum, This was Adam^ State,
before Eve was created.

Poji. 12, In Briaby the Azilutbic Ardour
being abated, the View was fomewhat turned
to the outv/ard World, and to the Life and
Senfations of the Vehicle ; Polities framed ^
Humanity, Charity, Friendfhio, cultivated :

This

APPENDIX. 369

I'his the State after Eve\ Formation : Then the
Tranfadlion between God and the Soul of the
Meffiah, about his Paffion, and the Redemp-
tion of the World.

Pojl, 13. The Soul of the Meffiah profited
fo much in Aziluth^ and adhered to the eter-
nal Logos with fo ftri(S a Love, that at length
they were united into one Perfon (Partzuph),
with the highefh aziluthic, or rather hyperazi-
luthic, and hypoftatical Union (as Soul and
Body into one Man) ; thence rightly called, the
So7i of God', Name, or Nature, ineffable.

Poji. 14. This Divine Meffiah is conftituted,
by God the Father, Ruler of all Souls, human
and angelical. Emperor of the four Worlds,
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, about the
Commencement of the Briathic Kingdom, up-
on his undertaking to be the Saviour of the
.World : Then alfo his Union with the Divine
Logos was completed and declared, John xvii.
5. Hel?. i. 6. Philippians ii. 6, 7, 8. Pf, Ixxii.
5. according to the Septuagint, Its primeval

Duration {^avv tm 7]?vio:y kx\ TTpo T?5 creAriyyiijy un-
til the Sun of this Vortex cooled into a Planet
(rather Comet, thro* the Rebel Rephaim over-
turning all Order and Beauty, and therefore
deprived of the folar Light and Heat, the Prin-
ciple of their magic Power and Operations) j
and before the Moon became frigid, and a Sa-
tellite to this Earth, the Reign of the Meffiah,
computing backv/ards, alm^ofl reached to Dore

B b Dorim^

370 APPENDIX.

Dorim^ the Aziluthic Age ; to the Age of
Ages, Eternity.

Fcj}, 15. At this time the Meffiah obtained
Power of confirming Souls angelic and human
in their Aziluthic and Briathic States, ColoJJ'. 1.
19, 20.

Pojl, 16. Certain angelic Souls, before the
Period of the Briathic Life, allotted to confirm
them in prudent Counfel, Benignity, and (Ex-
perience) Skill, was legitimately expired, broke
thro'intoj^^/2;/>^,and indulg'd immoderately the
Irafcible and Concupifcible, thro' the too. great
Vivacity and Lafciviency of the Vehicle, now
nearer the Sun^ hence called Jetzirah^ to form
Evil : Here the War of the Giants, Rephaim ;
the Embaffy of Ophioneus to tempt Adam^ that
is, by a Henopceia^ Briathic or perhaps yetzi-
rathic Souls, regularly defcending, Baruch iii.
24, 28. Gen. iii.

Poft, 17. Thus human Souls, circumvented
by the Craft and Solicitation of fallen Angels
I their Polity reprefented by the Serpent, as the
Roman by the feven- headed Beafl, in the Apo-
calypje)y fell into Jetzirah, See Ecclef. vii. 29.
where ChafJobeJioth feems put for Tetzerim^
more grammatic^^, and agreeable to Jetzirah,

Poji. 18. The fallen Souls, angelic and hu-
man, at length tired, and laden with tha
Sordes of their Lufts, fubfided into the Ajiathic
World 3 the angelic into the Superior, the hu-
man into the Inferior ; even down to the Body
of the Comet (now a Chaos), to the Region

of

APPENDIX. 371

of Mechanifm and Labour. The chaotic Co-
met being formed into a habitable Earth, the
lapfed human Souls (having drank of the River
of Lethe, to make this new State of Tryal and
Purification more paflable and efFedlual) funk
into terreftrial Bodies (Coats of Skins, the Ca-
nals of the circulating Fluids of the human
Body), now doom'd to labour, and the mecha-
nic Arts, gradually difcovered by the Antedi-
liiviajis, in place of that divine Magic, fo great
ly abufed by them in yetzirah^ Gen. iii.

Poft, 19. All the Worlds, Aziluth, &c. are
in fome Degree involved in each of them, ei-
ther potentially, or aftually ; in fome Souls
more, in fome lefs, in various Degrees.

Dr. H. MoRE'i Explication of the Mercava
of Ezekiel, in Fifty-two Anfwers to fo many
^eJiic?iSj abridged,

i.THHE adequate Subjedl of the Divine
A Vifion is the fpiritual Kingdom of the
Meffiah, hypoftatically united with the Eternal
Logos-, who, almoft from the Beginning of
Time (that is, in the Bi^iathx Period), was,
by God the Father, conftitated Prince of all
Souls, both angelic and human, whether in
terreftrial or celeftial Vehicles, excliifive of
Slaves and Hypocrites, who have not the Rights
of Freemen.

Bb 2 2. The

372 APPENDIX.

2. The Whirlwind is an aereal Vortex here
put for an ^ethereal one ; or a Solar Syftem,
according to the Fythagorean and "judaic Ca-
bala.

3. The Wind, that is, Spirit (i^^^Z;^. moving
tlie aereal Vortex, is that hylarchic Principle,
or Spirit of Nature, the Inftrument of the
Eternal Spirit, beginning the ethereal Vortex,
by putting into a whirling Motion a great
Mafs of phyfical Monads in the Abyfs.

4. The North (Heb. Tzaphoit^ fignifies alfo
dark or hid) is the Chaos, or Terminus a qiio^
in the Solar Syftem, to be formed out of the
dark Chaos of phyfical Monads in the Abyfs,
GcJi. i. The Sun in the North is much ob-
fcured by Clouds and Vapours.

5. The great Clouds denote the Darknefs of
the Vortex, fomewhat leiTen'd by the Light of
the Sun, now a forming in the Center, begin-
ning to pierce thro' the thick Darknefs.

6. The Fire unfolding itfelf is the Sun,
formed, and turning about its Axis.

7. The Brightnefs round about dliFufed is
the sethereal Regions, now expanded, diapha-
nous, and clearly illuminated by the central
Sun.

8. The Chafnial^ or Amber, from or out of
the Middle of the Fire, is the divine Element
interfpsrfed up and down the celeftial Matter
of the Vortex ; whofe chief Vehicle is the moft
fubtil and i2;neous Part of the celelliial Matter ;
and IS faid to flow from the Middle of the Fire,.

and

APPENDIX. 373

and IS every-where fcatter'd thro' the iEther.
So far the compendious View of a Vortex, a
forming, and formed.

9. The four Animals are four Worlds, or
Periods of Souls, angelic and human, poflcffing
four diftind: Regions of fome aethereal Vortex,
fucceflively, tho' feen at one View in the pro-
phetic Vifion.

10. All the four Animals are faid to have
the Likenefs of a Man, lefl, on account of the
feveral Parts like an Ox, a Lion, and Eagle,
they (liould be taken for Symbols of any thing
-elfe than Souls angelic and human. From thefe
fame Animals being all called by one other
Name, Cherubs^ in the Tenth Chapter, 'tis
highly probable, that angelic and human Souls
are much the fame, and generally appear of
the fame Form, human.

11. They are faid every one to have four
Faces, to denote that every Soul, in every
World or State, has all the four States in it
always, potentially and eflentially, tho' not
ad:ually, or in equal Degrees always.

12. They are faid to have four V/ings, to
denote their Paffage from World to World -y an
orderly living Flight, by Divine Fate, not a
winglefs defcending Lapfe, thro' their own
FauTt; for the latter (unreclaimed Sinners)
belong not to this Viiion.

13. They are faid to have fl rait Feet, partly
to denote their human Stature, partly their
walking or living uprightly, and with Steadi-

B b 3 nefs -,

374 APPENDIX.

nefs ; and alio upright Affedtions, according to
the Pythagoreans,

14. They are faid to have Ox or Calves
Feet, not only to denote the great Affinity
between angelic and human Souls (for Cherub^
from Charabhy to plow, is the Symbol of the
angelic Miniftry, the Seed being fown by the
Holy GhofI:) ; fee No. 10. but chiefly becaufe
the Ox is the Symbol of the Jfiathic Kingdom,
or Enfign armorial of the Afiathic State; and
this is the triumphal Chariot of the Meffiah,
King of Afiah. It is likely, as he was King of
"JetziraJj, his Chariot would be drawn by Ani-
mals with Lion's Feet ; of Briah, with human
Feet ; and of Aziluth^ with Eagles Feet : For
this Reafon, w^hen King of Ifrael in Jlfiab^ the
Animals fupporting or attending his Throne,
above the Ark of the Covenant, were Cherubs,
Oxen. Hence the Egypt iam derived the Wor-
fliip of Apis, at firft, probably, as the Symbol
of the Prcfence of the true God (niiftaking its
Ufe in the Je^vijh ^anEliim SanBo'rum) , and
afterwards more grofly terminating their Wor-
Ihip on itfelf. Hence alfo it is plain, even tho'
this of Apis had obtained among the Egyp-
tia77s before the times of Mofes^ that Aaron
ufed no foreign or Egyptian Rites, but an Ar^
canurn befonging to Abraham'^ Family, in
forming the golden Calf: The Fault lay in
inaking it the Objeft or Medium of V/orfhip
{mor^ Mgyptiaco)^ in place of the Shechinah,

15. The

APPENDIX, 375

15. The Feet fpnrkling like burnifli'd Brafs,
fignifies the AfFe&ons pure and fteady, fend-
ing forth Ejaculations heavenward in times of
Difficulty.

1 6. The Hands of a Man under their Wings
denote the Ufe of proper and lawful Mcan.«,
human Co-operations, to be neceffary along
with a winged fiducial Reliance on the Divine
Afliflance in all our Undertakings ; and this
the adamantine Law of all the four Worlds ;
idle and flothful Speculation being every-where
banifli'd out of the Kingdom of the MefTiah.

1 7. The Meeting of the Points of the Wings
of every two adjoining Animals, in the Angles
of the Square, whofe Sides are form'd feveraJly
by each Animal with its two extended Wings,
denote the moft ardent Defires, and united En-
deavours, of all the Souls of all the four Worlds,
to promote the public Good.

18. As the two Wings ftretched upward de-
note the fuperior Regard due to the public
Good, fo the inferior Wings, covering their
Bodies, denote their Regard to private Good ;
to be fubordinate to the Public, and confident
with it, as being therefore protedied by it.

19. The four Animals, tho' each has the
fame four Faces, have each a feveral Face more
eminent than the other three Faces ; whence
one Animal may be diftinguiflied by the Name
of a Lion, another by that of a Man, a third
by that of an Eagle, the fourth by that of an
Ox or Calf (as Apoc, iv. 7.), to denote four

Bb 4 Worlds

376 APPENDIX.

Worlds or States, each involving the other
three, in more remifs Degrees, or at leaft po-
tentially, yet each having its proper State fu-
pereminent. So the Eagle denotes Axiluth ;
Man, Briah\ Lion, Jetzirah; Ox, Aftah,
Their Order not regarded in the Apocalypfe,
' no. The Eagle, by his ftrong high Flight,
and {harp Sight, reprefents Aziluth (See Pofl,
5, 6, 1 1.), according to a prophetic Henopma,
Hence the Tradition of the old Naturalifts,
concerning the Eagle's looking fledfaftly on
the Sun, is cabaliftic, meaning the Aziluthic
ConXemplation of the Sun of the intellectual
World, the Divine Light of the Eternal Logos 5
that is, Adam dvi^elling in, and cultivating the
Garden of Eden^ towards the Eaft, or rifing
Sun.

The Man-Animal, or Face, by his Prudence,
and political Capacity, &c, (Pojl. 12.) repre-
fents Briah, a paradifaical State; neither agree-
ing w^ith the Fiercenefs of the Lion, nor the
Labour and Laffitude of the Ox.

The Lion reprefents Jetzirah (Pojl, 16.).
Here the Mefliah finifh'd the Conqueft of the
yetzirathc Rebels, the Rephaim^ and their
Adamic Aflbciates -, referving the former in
Chains of Darknefs, the dark and caliginous,
nodurnal, terreftrial Hemisphere, or in the
Bowels of the Earth, in Caverns, and animal
Bodies, as in Pofleffions, unto the Judgment of
the great Day; but gracioufly affording the
latter a State of Purification and Trial, in or-
der

APPENDIX. 377

dejr to a Reftoration. This is what Rabbi Ja-
chaides means by the Killing of the Serpent,
and his Army, in the Sea, viz. Pharaoh m
the Red Sea ; and, on the dry Land, Roman,
Pagan ^ and Pagano-cbrijlian Polities ; and, in
Heaven, the Rephaim ; the undertaking of
which intided the Mcfliah, according to a
heavenly Proclamation made before, to the
Marriage of the King's Daughter, Wijdom,
or the Eternal Logos ^ with her golden Vefture,
the divine Element ufed, in the Six Days Crea-
tion of the habitable Earth, by the Meihah.

The Jetzirathic Rephaim efleemed them-
felves Elohm^ Gods, in their drunken and mad
Frolicks, as being experimentally fl<:lird in all
Sorts of Contrivances, good and evil, thro' the
Ufe and Abufe of Magic : And fo the Serpent
perfuaded Eve it would be with her : Whence
the Nam.e of Jetzirah, from jatzar^ to farm
Good and Evil, magically, not mechanically.
The Ox reprefents Afiah (Poji, i8.), by
Qualities diredly oppofite to thofe whereby
the Eagle reprefents Azilnth. Here all Mat-
ters grow more and more crafs and dull, heavy
and feculent, as the falling Souls defcend lower
and lower ; till at length, as the wearied Ox,
they fettle upon the folid Earth, or rather in the
miry Clay, clogg'd and impeded by the groii
Unwieldinefs of their earthly Bodies, 2 Co?', v.
2. The Ox of chief Ufe in Agriculture, Gfr.
to which Man was doom'd when driven out of
Paradife.

The

378 APPENDIX.

The Figure of the whole fymbolical, trium-
phal, Jfathic Chariot of the Meffiah, being
too vaft a Work to be placed over the Ark of
the Covenant, the Ox, the peculiar Symbol of
his Afiafhic Kingdom, was chofen in its Place,

The cabaliftic Arcanum fignified by every
Animal's having four Faces, ""ciz, that in what-
foever State any Soul be pl:?.c€d, the Root of
the other three States is full remaining in it,
fhould animate us that are fallen to ftrive ear-
neftly, under the Conduct of the Meffiah, to re-
cover what we have loft, and to caution thofe
in the fuperior Worlds to take heed left they
fall.

21. The Motion of the Animals ftrait for-
ward denotes the Uprightnefs and Simplicity
of Life, without Wiles and Craft, John i.
27. only belonging to the true Subjcvfls of
Chrift's fpiritual Kingdom.

22. The Motion of the Animals whither the
Spirit direded, denotes, that all the Ac^1:ions of
the Subjeds of Chrift^s fpiritual Kingdom are
by the Impulfe and Inftind: of the Divine Spi-
rit, their own Self-wills being perfedly morti-
fied and dead : So that they are Theophorou-
menm^ as it wxre, PJ\ xxxiii. 6. The fecond Spirit
of the Cabalifts, proceeding from the living
God, is only the Spirit of Nature, the Inftru-
ment of the Divine Spirit,

23. Their not returning when they went,
denotes, that no external Violence can affcdt
or hinder their Proceedings 3 for no Force or

Counfel

APPENDIX. 379

Counfel can prevail againft God, by Vv^hom
they are afted.

24. The Appearance of the Animals, as of
burning Coals of Fire, and of Lamps, denotes
the aethereal and luminous Nature of their ce-
leftial Vehicles, accompanied with fervid and
enlighten'd Zeal in holy Souls, the faithful Sub-
jedts of Chrilt, who baptizes with the Holy
Ghofl:, and with Fire.

25. The Motion of the Fire, its Splendor,
and of Lightning out of the Fire running up
and down among the Animals, denotes the fre-
quent Eruptions and Shining forth of the Vir-
tues of the Holy Spirit in the Members of
Chrift's fpiritual Kingdom, which was remark-
ably (accompli flied, condo novo) fignified by the
fiery Tongues at Pentecoji refling upon the Apo-
ftles Heads, according to Chrift's Promife, who
was thus vifibly and openly fhevvn to be the
true Mefliah.

26. The Animals before fald not to return,
are faid, in another Senfe, here, to go and return
as a Flafli of Lightning, to denote the De-
fcent of Souls from Heaven, and their fure Re-
turn thither, after a fpeedy and fuccefsful Di-
fpatch of their Bufinefs.

27. The Sound of the V/ings, as of many
Waters, or of Thunder, or of Camps, denotes
the four Animals to be reprefentative of nu-
merous Multitudes.

28. The Wings being let fall at the Voice of
the Charioteer, above the Firmam.ent, denotes
the Spirit that animates them, both to move

and

380 APPENDIX.

and to reft, is the Spirit of the Meffiah, the
Charioteer, John i. 4. obedient even in the in-
ward Motions of their Appetites and Wills, the
Wings of the Soul.

25). The four Wheels, having Fle(h, and
Backs^ and Wings, and Hands, as well as the
four Animals, do denote the four Worlds of
human and angelic Souls, viz. Aziluth^ Briah^
'Jetzirah^ Afiah \ but as in Rotation or Revolu-
tion from one State to another (Pojt. 8, p.)}
for the Wheels are indeed the very fame Sort
of four-fided Animals, rounded into Quadrants
of the Wheels : So that the flat Side of the vail:
Canthus next Ezekiel iliewed, in every Qua-
drant, one Face, with its Side, Wings, Gfr.
Perhaps they denote alfo the Orbs or Regions
of thefe four States.

30. The Wheel upon the Earth, with its
four Faces, denotes the Afiathic World or Re-
gion, inclufive of the other three States, either
potentially, or more remifly ; that is, the Souls
of that World confidered as to their Revolu-
tion. This Wheel is called Opban in a fpecial
Senfe ; and Sandalphon^ by Rabbi Mofes Cor-
dueriis.

3 I. The Appearance of the Wheels as T'har-
fis, or the Sea, denotes the Multitude of Souls
in the four States ; as in the Animals the Noife
of their Wings, like Waters, did. From this,
and the 30th, appears the Identity of the
Wheels and Animals, differing only in the Re-
volution-State.

32. The

APPENDIX. 381

32. The Wheel in the Middle of a Wheel
denotes the four concentric Orbs or Regions
(Poji. 6.)y but chiefly the periodic Revolutions
of Souls involving each other : e. g. When
their Aphelia or Apogea are at the Summit o£
Aziliith^ and their Perihelia or Perigea are,
fome at the Atmofphere of the central Star,
Solar or Frigid, others at the Confines of Af.a
or yetzirah^ others at the Confines of Jetzirah
and Briah, Sec, See Fig, id.

33. The Wheels going by their four Parts,
and not returning, denote, as before the Ani-
mals did (No. 23.), with the Addition of the
Revolution of Souls thro' their four Parts, or
concentric Orbs, in PoJi. 6.

34. The Wheels having all one Likenefs,
denotes, that nothing paffes, and there is fcarce
any thing in the inferior World, but what is
fome way or other refembled in the fuperior
World. This the Foundation of Types and
Figures : This the Beauty and Harmony of all
God^s Works, Uniformity amidft Variety. This
is in fome fort fignified by the fame four Faces
in every Animal 3 viz. the fame Employment
for the molt part ; the fame vifible Form of
Souls : The human Form, fuppofc, with their
vifible perfonal Diflindions 3 and, according to
fome Ral?i?i?]s, the D llindiion of Mafculine and
Feminine, as to VeRare and Lines of the Face;
the fame plaftic Natures fafliioning the Ve-
hicles proper to every World in human Forms,
cmij/is omiUendis,

3 f • The

382 APPENDIX.

35r. The dreadful Height of the Canthus^
or upper Part of the Convex of the Wheels,
denotes thofe vaft Revolutions of Souls, from
the Aziluthic World down to the Ajiathicy
even to the very Body of the Frigid Star, to
live with the Ox in the Mire and Dirt, in
Bodies of Flefh and Blood, and back again to
Aziluth : Amazing Viciffitudes thefe indeed !
That of Nebuchadnezzar not to be once men-
tioned with them !

36. The Body of the Wheels appearing full
of Eyes, fhews them to be an exacl Duplicate
of the Animals incurv'd into Quadrants; the
four Sides of one Animal making the flat Side
of the Canthus of one Wheel next Ezekiel i
whence thefe Sides were called Quadrants in
the eredl Animal -, and denotes the Worlds
conftituted of living feeing Souls in Golgul,
that is, Rotation.

37. The Wheels moving and refling in con-
ftant Correfpondence vvith the Animals, de-
notes the fame thing to be fignified by both ;
only that the Wheels moreover denote the Re-
volution (Golgul) of Souls.

38. The Wheels following whither the Spi-
rit leads, fhews alfo their Identity with the
Animals in Signification (See No. 22,) ; but flill
in GcIguL This more ftrongly confirmed by
their being faid to have the Spirit of Life, which
agrees not to inanimate Wheels, but to Souls
whofe divine Birth is either not loft, or re-
covered.

35>. The

APPENDIX. 383

3p. The Likenefs of the Firmament, as the
horrible Appearance of Cryftal, on which ftands
the Throne of the Meffiah, denotes the dread-
ful and immenfe Expanfe of the aethereal Vor-
tex, diaphanous as Cryftal, ftriking the Be-
holder with Horror, when he confiders the
Golgiil of Souls thro' fuch vaft Spaces.

4,0. The fapphirine Throne, above the Fir-
mament, denotes, by its blue Colour, a certain
celeftial and aethereal Nature : 'Tis colour'd to
diftinguifh it from the circumfufed diaphanous
iEther. By the Hardnefs of Sapphire, the Sta-
bility of his Kingdom that fits upon the Throne.
HeL i. 8, ©f. '(Fojl, 13, 14.) By its Enmity
to bcRial Impurities, the Axiliithic State. Apoc.
xiv. 4. Thefe not unapt. But moft probably
Sapphirine alludes to the cabaliftic Sepbirofh, or
Numbers, efpecially the firft three, named by
Rabbi Schab^ Corona Summa, Sapientia^ In-
telligentia j and affirmed to be three Minds,
therefore neceiiarily three Perfons, as having
each its own proper perceptive Center. He
alfo affirms every one of them to be Mem per
fe^ and in equal Dignity to conftitute a Being
as it were wholly One j which approaches
nearly to the Catholic and Orthodox Chriftian
Faith. I fay, this Throne denotes the Divinity
itfelf, to which the Soul of the Meffiah is ele-
vated (I^ojl, 13.) by the Union with the Lo-
gos ; whence the Divinity, being its own Place,
Throne, and Support, is becoir.e the fame to
the Soul of the Meffiah,

As

384 APPENDIX.

As the three firft Sephiroth comprehend the
Triune Deity, fo the feven others the Uni-
verfality of good created Spirits : So that the
Sapphire Throne may allude to all the ten Se-
fhiroth ; upon all which the Soul of the Mef-
liah may be faid to be feated in fome Senfe or
other. In like manner the evil Genii may be
called his Footftool, or Step to his Throne, he
treading them under his Feet, whilft the good
he rules by his Spirit.

The Melliah, thus united to the Divine Logos^
or internal World eternal, rules over the exter-
nal Word, the Spirit of Nature, or Sandalphoft^
denoted here by Ophan^ quajl fandal tou Ophan-y
and thereby is able to do all manner of Mi-
racles, even to change the very Elements 3 for
he that has married the Daughter of the King
(Ckoanab^ ZrJ^, N"?), poffefles alfo her golden
Veftiire, the Six Days Creation. The King's
Daughter in the exalted Tower is Chccmah i?t
Kether, i. e. Zarcs irvt^yo^,.

41. The Man fitting upon the Throne is
the Soul of the Meffiah united to the Divine
Logos (Toft. 13. Apoc. xix. 11, 16.), who
appeared to the Patriarchs, being the Word,
God-Man, tho' not yet God made Flefli j and
alio to Daniel^ God the Father being there
called the Antient of Days j and to Ifaiah vi.
I, ©r. John xii. 41. Hence, John i. 14. the
Word was inade Flejh. The Soul is not men-
tioned, becaule united to the Logos, or Word,
many Ages before.

42. The

APPENDIX. 385

42. The FileBrum or Chajhial^ furrounded
by the circumhabitant Fire, fending forth a
Brightnefs around, from the Loins both up-
wards and downwards, denotes this ChaJ'mal
(Inverting the Hebrew Words, it becomes Mcf-
fiah, Chrift, or Anointed ; this golden Gar-
ment of the King's Daughter, the inward Ve-
hicle and Inftrument of the Operations of the
Holy Spirit 3 this Divine Element or Amber,
the tranfparent Gold of the New Jeruja!e?72 ^
this Cordial and Cephalic Oil of Amber j this
divine Undion, appearing thro' the Houfe of
Fire, Chrift's igneous or aethereal Vehicle, feated
at his Heart, and probably alfo flaming from
his Eyes and Mouth, with which all holy Souls
are anointed, and that of Chrift above his Fel-
lows) ; it denotes this Chafmal^ I fay, to be, as
it were, a divine Salt or Seafoning included in
the Vehicles of holy Souls, but not conftituting
the intire Vehicle. Probably the Tree of Life
afforded new Supplies of this, where needful,.
I "John ii. 20, 27. 2 Cor. v. i, 2, 3, 4. This
bleffed Oil purifies the Heart from Self-love,
?nd makes it receptive of Love divine : Blej]ed
are the Pure in Heart ; for they Jfxdl fee God,
Chrift, by his Holy Spirit, is the (ole Dif-
penfer of this precious Balm, Cbafmal and
Aer Peniel^ that is, the Light of the Face 01
God.

. 43. The refplendent or circumfplendent
Rainbow, that other Glory diftinct from the
Vehicle of the Mefilah, defcribed by a Fire,

C c and

386 APPENDIX.

and a Splendor, and a Rainbov/, denotes
Attic-jomin of the Cabbalifts ; the Antient of
Days in Daniel^ the Firft Sepbira^ or Firfl
Perfon of the Holy Trinity, Autogenes^
caufally containing the Second, the Son, and
the Third, the Holy Ghoii, proceeding from
both Firft and Second, whofe various Gifts are
fignified by the Colours of the Rainbow ; as the
Sun by the Splendor of the Fire, denoting
the Father. This laft Light or Glory is that
of the Father of lyights, the Kether or Corona
of the Cabalifts, fo named from this Halo or
Jr/.f, very properly, fince v^e fee nov^ thro' a
Glafs, darkly, or thro' a Cloud, the Caput im--
perceptibiky with v/hofe Glory the Mefliah, his
Son the Theanthrope^ is here furrounded. Matt.
xvi. 27. John xvii. 5. Thus, the Doxology
of our Church to Chrift : Thou only art hol)\
thou only art the Lord, thou only^ O Chrift, with
the Holy Ghoft, are mo ft high in the Glory of
God the Father,

44. The four Animals, faid in the Firft
Chapter to be like Men, are in the Tenth called
Cherubs, to denote the great Refemblance of
human to angelic Souls.

45-. The Man cloathed in Linen is fome
Prophet or Prieft, whofe Zeal, and the La-
bours of his Function, are promoted and di-
rected by the Affiftance of the Spirit, and the
Miniftry of Angels.

46. Since the Wheels are only the Animals
incurved, there is no Caufe for the repeated

Incul-

APPENDIX. 387

Inculcation in the Tenth Chapter, of Flefli^
Backs, Hands, Wings, and Eyes, belonging
to the Wheels, but to fliew the Revolution of
Souls.

47. And left Ears (hould be wanting to the
Wheels, it is cried to them, in the Hearing of
the Prophet, O Wheels! Ezek. x. 13. To the
Wheels, O Phannim, it is cried, O Wheels,
Hagalgal^ in my Ears. Here the GaJgal^ or Re-
volution of Souls, is moft exprefly marked out,
by the Change of the Hebrew Word for
Wheels, in the fame Sentence, from Ophan to
G algal y this latter more properly denoting Ro-
tation or Revolution. None can afcend in this
Revolution, but thofe belonging to thefe
Wheels in the fpiritual Kingdom of thrift -, and
at the Voice of the Charioteer, under the Con-
dudt of Chrift. The Wheels being called to,
rather than the Animals, confirms this Mean-
ing.

48. The four Faces of every Wheel denote
the four States of Souls in Rotation ; one,
chief or a6lual, three potential, ormoreremifs
in Degree,

49. One Face only being mentioned to
every Wheel, notwithftanding the Identity of
the Wheels, and four- faced Animals, plain
upon other Accounts, confirms No. 19. and
therefore their Refemblance to the Animals
ftill more complete.

50. The four Animals are called one Animal,
Chap. X. 20. to Ihew that the four Worlds

C c 2 are

388 APPENDIX.

are compofed of the fame individual Souls an-
gelic and human, tho' not all at once in the
fame World always, under Chrift their Head,
llie River Chebar^ mentioned here, to fhew
the Identity of this Vifion with the firll, is
twice repeated to intimate a Myftery ; viz,
that theie four Worlds are fucceffive, and
flow like a River ; three being paft, and
none belonging to the ftill fteady Eternity of
God, or immaterial.

5 1 . From the foregoing Obfervations it ap-
pears, that the God of Jfrael, taken precifely,
is the Eternal Logos^ united with the Soul of
theMefliah, Ifaiah vi. i. 2, 6cc. "John xii. 41.
Many Places of Scripture naturally indicate
the fame to have been the peculiar God, and
guardian Angel, of the People of Jfrael, as
I Cor, X. 4, 9. Heb. x'uu 8. Chrift over-
came the Serpent in Heaven Rephaim^ in the
Sea Pharaohy in the Earth, Apocalyptic, the
Roman Empire ; this faid to the Hebrews^ that
they may conftantly fuffer Afflidlions for
Chrift. The fame gave the Law to Ifrael in
the Defert, incognito, as the Angel of the
Covenant. Bariicb iii. 36. Ways of Know-
lege, that is, both the Law and Cabala,
^okn i. 14. xiv. II. He appeared to the Pa-
triarchs, was called Jehovah, again ^ the Angel
o^ Jehovah, Zech, iii. i, 2. Thefe, and the
like, plainly (hew the Eternal Logos to have
been united with the Soul of the Mtiiiah be-
ibre the Incarnation

APPENDIX. 389

5-2. The Glory of this God of Ifrael^ John
Xvii. 4. 5'. is his fulfilling his Compact witl\
the Father, by fuffering for the Redemption
of his People, on this Earth, Afmh^ the low-
eft Region of the Worlds committed to his
Care : Therefore he prays, that he may return
into thofe upper Region?, to be glorified by
the Father with the Glory he poffefled when
he reigned with him, in the Father's Glory,
before the Foundations of this Afiathic World
were laid. Here ends the Theofophic Inter-
pretation of the Mercava^ the moft precious
Repoiitory of the antient Cabala, the Fytba-
goric Denary, the Judaic Sephiroth,

■ 1' I ■ II ■ M ■ I I ■ Ill I I I I l»| »

Catechifmus Cabalijiicus Mercavceiis Se^
fhirothicus,

I. TP HE proper adequate Subje(5l of theMr-
^ cava^ or triumphal Afiathic Chariot of
the God of Ifrael^ ifttYi by Ezekiel^ is the
fpiritual Kingdom of Chrift, not yet incarnate;
Jehovah^ the God oi Ifraely as God oi Ifrael -,
Malciithy as particularly refpecfling the ^ews ;
Kofmos^ the tenth Sepbira Pythagoric^ as re-
garding the Afiathic World.

2. The God of Ifrael is the Soul of the Mef-
fiah, united with the fecond Partzuph (derived
from Trpcroco^ov) of the Deity into One Perfon.

3. Three Perfons in the Deity.

4. The Firft Perfon, or Firft Sephira, called
Kether-y or Corona ^ and Attic-jomin^ i. e. the
Antient of Days.

390 APPENDIX.

5-. The Second Perfon, called Chocma, Sa-
pientia, and Fi/ia Regis in Turre cum Vejie
aurea^ as T^keanthrope^ Second Sephira,

6. The Third Perfon, the Third Sephira,
called Binah^ Priidentia^ Phronejis^ Zoe^ John
i. 4. iinde Zan-logos of St, John ; Ruach m
the Mercava.

The three preceding Jric-Anpin or M(^-
croprofopon. The feven following, Dfeir-
Anpin, Microprofopon.

7. The Magnitude of this Kingdom called
Gedhiilah^ Baruch iii. 24. &c. O Ifrael, how
great is the Houfe of thy God ! How ample the
Hoiife of his PoJJ'eJjion ! Tho' but one Solar
Syftem : And the following feems to regard the
Jetziratbic Part of one : There were thofe
Giants, of Name Rephai?n, fo called from the
Relaxation of the ylziluthic Attention, that
were very great in the Beginning, and expert
in War ; whom the Mcffiah overthrew in the
Confines of Briah and Jetzirak^ thofe did not
the Lord choofe (but the Mefliah to be married
or united to Choajia) -, neither gave he the
Way of Knowlege (Chocma) to them, Ver. 37.
C/?(?^/v^^ afterwards incarnate {Nous T)emiiirgos) ,
GedhuIahcom^xtYiQx\AsAzihith^ Briah^ Jetzi-
rah^ Afiah^ and perhaps the recoverable Parts
pf other lapfed Syftems, if fuch there be, and
infinite Wifdom varies not Its Methods.

8. The Forces and Powers of this fpirltual
Kingdom Gehhurah^ the Fifth Sephira, Kordia-

' tis^ Robur, Ruach ; Hacajiah (living Spirit),
its Gifts and Graces, Pfalm xyiii, and i Cor,

xii.

APPENDIX. 391

^n. I, G?r. viz. Sophia [Cahaliftic) Gnoftis^
(^Knowlege), Faith, Healings, Miracles, Pro-
phecies. Hence Gebhiirah is the Spirit of
Chrift dwelling in all his Members, thro*
whom they extinguifh all evil Defires, and live
only to Chrift, and publifli on various proper
Occafions, in various Manners, illuftrious Spe-
cimens of the Power of him that calls them to
his v/onderful Light ; for, feeing every one,
according to his Capacity, has the fame holy
Undlion, Chafmal^ or golden Vefture, with
his Prince, he fhall furcly, in all the Worlds,
command the outv^ard Elements, by virtue of
this divine Magic, as Chrift did the Winds and
, Waves, and as Ellas divided the Waters of
Jordan with his myftical Gown [Chafmal Ve^
hiciili Tntimi), with which the Spirit of EUa^
refted upon EliJIoa^ Vv'hen Elias went to
Heaven in a fiery Chariot. If thus, in thefe
earthy, Afathic Bodies, fuch Wonders be
wrought thro' Faith in the Name and Power of
Chrift, how much more, in the heavenly Bodies,
and heavenly Regions, fliall the Saints com-
mand all Things needful in the outward Ele-
ments, and their own proper Vehicles (lumi-
nous and ornamental as they defire) for their
prefent Delight, and future Defence, by Chaf^
maline Armature^ againft the Jfatbic noxious
Impreflions, and poifonous Vapours, when
they fnall defcend thither !

9. Eiitaxia Politlca & Mi li far is, the

Sixth Sephiray Tiphcreth, Pulchritudo^ Diar^

throjis toil pantos : The Head is Chrift^ Ccl, i.

Cc 4 15,

392 A P P E N D I X.

15, i^. KtifiSy Creation political. The Law,
Love divine, Themis^ not Nomos Dike,

10. The Wars and Vidory of this Kingdom,
Netzachy the Seventh Sephira^ Adrajleia^
thole of the Mefliah and his FoUovi^ers,
againfl the old Serpent in Heaven, Rephaim ;
in the Sea, Pharaoh-, in the Earth, Rome^
Fagan and Pagano Chrijlian, the Rephaim
firft expelled out oi Jetzirah, mX.o AJia fupe^
7'ior, then caft down to the Earth, then chain-
ed, and fliut up for a thoufand Years, perhaps
in the Abyfs within the Earth ; and, at the
Clofe of the lafl: Trumpet, to be caft into the
Lake of Fire and Brimftone, in the final Con-
flagration, with all other wicked and obdurate
Souls. Here alfo the Apotheofis of the Mef-
fiah fliewn in the Apocalypfe, being revealed
to ^'ohn by an Angel fent from Chrift : It
is Part of the prophetic Mercavcean Cabala^
in the Keeping of Angels, from the moft early
Ages, and now-and-then communicated
fparingly to the antient Prophets, but as to
the State of the Church, from Chrift's Incarna-
tion to the final Conflagration, reftored, and per-
haps inlarged, i Cor, xv. f4. Romans viii. 37.

1 1 . The Pomps, and Triumphs, the Eighth
Sephira^ Hody Gloria, Pa7iarmonia -, by mufi-
cal Inftruments and Proceflions, as the Song
of Mofes and Miriam, Exod. xv. The Song
of the Lamb, Apoc, xv. probably alfo thus
in Aziluth and Briah, by Choirs of i\ngels,
Luke ii. 13, 14. Chrift afcended in Pomp,
attended by many redeemed from the Grave

and

APPENDIX. 393

nnd Hades ; thus re-entering into the Glory
he had with the Father before this World was.
Thus alfo Elijah^ in a fiery Chariot. Elijhas
Boy faw what Numbers were ready to guard
the Servant of the Lord.

The Plaftic can eafily furnifh thefe Pomps
with Drefs and Equipage, luminous and
glorious, infinitely beyond the moft brilliant
Diamonds, and more magnificent than we
can now conceive. For the Splendor of
private Perfons, fee Apoc. iii. 5. Ecclef.viu, i.

12. Its Stability and Duration, Ninth Sephira^
Jefod^ Fiindamentiim Edrafma^ Pfalm xlv. 6.
Ixxii. 5-, 6, 7. It endured with the Sun, that
is, before it cooled into a Chaos, and was reform-
ed, by the Soul of the Mefliah united to the
Logos, into this habitable Earth ; and before
the Moon became opaque, or attended our Earth
as a Satellite. Thefe Things are too grand to
be wholly meant of Solomon, the Type of the
Meffiah : The Soul of the Meffiah is heredefcri-
bed defcending into the Matter prepared for his
Body at his Incarnation, as the Rain into a
Fleece of Wool on the Skin, as a Drop drop-
ping upon the Earth ; feeming to allude to the
Coats of Skins {Adam's), and to the Lamb of
God. So Synefius defcribes a human Soul de-
fcending into the Body, in the viith Verfe.
The MilknntH7n^ lUitil the Moon depart, that
is, till the Bleffed leave the Earth, her Com-
panion ; hence Aneikia,

Here probably ends the Kingdom of the

JMcffiah at the Confummation of all Things,

6 when

394 APPENDIX.

when he delivers up his Kingdom to God thd
Father, Af^//. xiii. 42, 43. xxvi. 29. i Cor,
XV. 24, 28. having fubdued all his EnemieSj
even Death and Sin -, left the Earth in Flames
with the irreclaimably Wicked j eftabliflied a
univerfal and lafting Peace, after the laft Re-
furredion, and general Judgment ; and afcended
to the higheft Heavens, accompanied with al-
moft infinite Numbers of the heavenly Hoft, and
bleffed Souls, in theutmoftPomp and Splendor.

Indeed this may be rather called the com-
pleting and perfed:ing of Chrift's Kingdom,
than the finifliing of it -, therefore it may be
fcid to laft in fecula feculoru7n. Amen.

The Fulgu rations of the Mercava indicate
triumphal Pomps after Vidories obtained ; the
Sapphirine Throne, Durability and Stability,
Deut, xxxii. 8. (according to the Sepfuagint)
the Nations under the Guardianfhip of Angels ;
Ifrael under that of God himfelf; his Son
Chrift, the Way, the Truth, and the Life >^
and (in Baruch) the Way of Knowlege^
{Zech, xii. 10. II.); the Gonverfion of the^
Jews^ and their Mourning for having crucified?^
the Meffiah.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

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for H^orl'd read IVnd,

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