A44699:45
The vanity of this mortal life, or, Of man, considered only in his present…
The vanity of this mortal life, or, Of man, considered only in his present mortal state by J. Howe ...
London: printed by A. Maxwell for Sa. Gellibrand, 1673
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. The Minuteness, the small portion or degree of being which this mortal part of man hath in it. It is truly said of all created things, ⟨p. 19⟩Their non esse, is more than their esse. They have more no-being than being. It is only some limited portion that they have, but there is an infinitude of being which they have not. And so, coming infinitely nearer to nothingness, than fullness of being, they may well enough wear the name of Nothing. Wherefore the first and Fountain-being, justly appropriates to himself the name, I am; yea, tells us, He is, and there is none besides Him, therein leaving no other name than that of Nothing, unto Creatures. And how much more may this be said of the material and mortal part, this outside of man, whatever of him is obnoxious to death and the grave; which alone (abstractly looked on) is the subject of the Psalmist's present consideration and discourse?
1. The Minuteness, the small portion or degree of beeing which this mortal part of man hath in it. It is truly said of all created things, ⟨p. 19⟩Their non esse, is more than their esse. They have more no-beeing than beeing. It is only some limited portion that they have, but there is an infinitude of beeing which they have not. And so, coming infinitely nearer to nothingness, than fulness of beeing, they may well enough wear the name of Nothing. Wherefore the first and Fountain-beeing, justly appropriates to himself the name, I am; yea, tells us, He is, and there is none besides Him, therein leaving no other name than that of Nothing, unto Creatures. And how much more may this be said of the material and mortal part, this outside of man, whatever of him is obnoxious to death and the grave; which alone (abstractly lookt on) is the subject of the Psalmist's present consideration and discourse?
By how much any thing hath more of Matter, it hath the less of actual Essence. Matter being rather a capacity of being, than being it self, or a dark umbrage or shadow of it, actually nothing; but [[Greek or Hebrew]