The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…

Every life hath principles according ⟨p. 9⟩to the nature of it, receiving to it self things suitable, or turning from things disagreeable to it; the vegetative life according to the nature of it, so the sensitive, and the rational life, and the life of grace according to it. Most mens spirits are led by the principles of a sensitive life, few live so high as rational principles reach to. There is a death of the soul in this respect; only God puts in by a common work of his Spirit, some common notions, which appear in some, which give but a glimmering light, and are very weak; but where the life of grace is in any soul, there are principles of an higher nature, full of light and beauty, carrying the soul to high, spiritual, supernatural things, for the attaining to, and enjoyment of the highest good. Other creatures under the rational, are made for the enjoyment of no higher good, than is within the compass of their own natures; & therefore their principles are only to receive in such good things as are suitable to those natures, and in them they rest satisfied; for they are capable ⟨p. 10⟩of enjoyment of no higher; I say, they cannot enjoy any higher: indeed they are of use to, and were made for that end, that they might be serviceable to some higher good than themselves; but this they enjoy not. The destruction of their natures, is the highest use that creatures which are above them, have of them. But the rational creature was made for a higher good than is within the compass of its own nature, and was to enjoy this; and the fuller it doth enjoy it, the more perfected it is. Now then, there are required principles of life accordingly to carry these creatures higher than their own natures, to have the fruition of that good they were made for, and to be blessed in the enjoyment of it. Now these are the principles of Grace, with which this other spirit is endued, higher above the principles of reason, than the principles of reason are above the principles of sense; and thus it is another spirit.

Every life hath principles according ⟨p. 9⟩to the nature of it, receiving to it selfe things sutable, or turning from things disagreeable to it; the vegetative life according to the nature of it, so the sensitive, and the rationall life, and the life of grace according to it. Most mens spirits are led by the principles of a sensitive life, few live so high as rationall principles reach to. There is a death of the soule in this respect; onely God puts in by a common worke of his Spirit, some common notions, which appeare in some, which give but a glimmering light, and are very weake; but where the life of grace is in any soule, there are principles of an higher nature, full of light and beauty, carrying the soule to high, spirituall, supernaturall things, for the attaining to, and injoyment of the highest good. Other creatures under the rationall, are made for the enjoyment of no higher good, than is within the cōpasse of their owne natures; & therfore their principles are onely to receive in such good things as are sutable to those natures, and in them they rest satisfied; for they are capable