S Uch is the excellency of the Soul of Man, that the very Heathen, whose Souls were almost wholly immersed in grease and sensuality, and served but as Salt, to preserve their Bodies for a time from putrefaction (according to the Opinion of one of the most ingenious ⟨image 3⟩among them) have acknowledged it a Divine Plant, a drop of the Ocean of Beings, a Ray of a Deity; and the Body but the Case or Cabinet of this Jewel. The dim Rush-light of Nature hath enabled some of them to discern the spirituality, quick, comprehensive, self-reflective motions, and immortality of (their specific forms as they called) their Souls, and thence to conclude their worth and nobleness: But the clear Sun-light of Scripture advantageth unto a fuller discovery of its excellency. It shows us its Original, that it is of Celestial extraction, created immediately by the Father of Spirits, a beam of the Sun of Righteousness, a bubble of the Fountain of Life, of a much higher descent then the House of Clay, and earthly Tabernacle the Body, Gen. 2.7. Heb. 12.9. Zach. 12.1. It acquaints us with its duration, that it runs parallel with the line of eternity, and swallows up Years and Ages, and Generations, and thousands of thousands, and millions of millions, as small drops and minutes, and nothings in the bottomless Ocean, and endlessness of its abode and continuance. When the Body, like the Sacrifice, falleth to the Earth, and is turned into ashes; ⟨image 3⟩the Soul, like the Flame, aspireth and ascendeth to God, Eccles. 12.7. Philip. 1.23. Math. 10.28. Math. 22.31, 32. It manifesteth the Souls capacity, how no Being is excepted from its consideration, all are within its compass and horizon; It can view every with its intellectual Eye. It is not bounded with corporeal Beings, nor limited with material Objects, nor circumscribed with created Essences; but is capable of apprehending the first Cause, the Being of Beings, the Original of all things. It is able not only to retrospect upon its own motions, and to survey the several parts, and ranks, and orders, and rarities, and delicacies, and excellencies of the Earth, and this sublunary World; but also to ascend to the highest Heavens, and behold the beautiful Face of the blessed God, till it hath looked it self into the very likeness, and thereby rendered it self fit and meet for his dearest Love, and eternal Embraces.
S Ʋch is the excellency of the Soul of Man, that the very Heathen, whose Souls were almost wholly immerst in grease and sensuality, and serv'd but as Salt, to preserve their Bodies for a time from putrefaction (according to the Opinion of one of the most ingenious ⟨image 3⟩among them) have acknowledged it a Divine Plant, a drop of the Ocean of Beings, a Ray of a Deity; and the Body but the Case or Cabinet of this Jewel. The dim Rush-light of Nature hath enabled some of them to discern the spirituality, quick, comprehensive, self-reflective motions, and immortality of (their specifical forms as they called) their Souls, and thence to conclude their worth and nobleness: But the clear Sun-light of Scripture advantageth unto a fuller discovery of its excellency. It shews us its Original, that it is of Celestial extraction, created immediately by the Father of Spirits, a beam of the Sun of Righteousness, a bubble of the Fountain of Life, of a much higher descent then the House of Clay, and earthly Tabernacle the Body, Gen. 2.7. Heb. 12.9. Zach. 12.1. It acquaints us with its duration, that it runs parallel with the line of eternity, and swallows up Years and Ages, and Generations, and thousands of thousands, and millions of millions, as small drops and minutes, and nothings in the bottomless Ocean, and endlesness of its abode and continuance. When the Body, like the Sacrifice, falleth to the Earth, and is turned into ashes; ⟨image 3⟩the Soul, like the Flame, aspireth and ascendeth to God, Eccles. 12.7. Philip. 1.23. Math. 10.28. Math. 22.31, 32. It manifesteth the Souls capacity, how no Being is excepted from its consideration, all are within its compass and horizon; It can view every with its intellectual Eye. It is not bounded with corporeal Beings, nor limited with material Objects, nor circumscribed with created Essences; but is capable of apprehending the first Cause, the Being of Beings, the Original of all things. It is able not only to retrospect upon its own motions, and to survey the several parts, and ranks, and orders, and rarities, and delicacies, and excellencies of the Earth, and this sublunary World; but also to ascend to the highest Heavens, and behold the beautiful Face of the blessed God, till it hath lookt it self into the very likeness, and thereby rendred it self fit and meet for his dearest Love, and eternal Embraces.
