Sol. 9,. But though we acknowledge it to be a great difficulty to trace it beyond the limits of this world, though we perceive nothing to depart from the body at the instant of its expiration, but a puft* of breath which vanishes like smoke into the air : and though athe- istical * wits daringly pronounce an immaterial substance to be a mere jargon, a contradiction in terminis ; which, being joined to- gether, destroy one another : yet all this doth not make the notion of a separate soul impossible, much less undermine its existence in its unbodied and lonely state ; the scriptures having so abundantly obviated all these atheistical suggestions by so many plain discoveries of the happiness of some, and misery of others after this life ; yea, my text answers us, that death is so far from destroying or annihi- lating, that it perfects the spirits of the just.
Sol. 3. There can be no more difficulty in conceiving of a sepa- rate soul, than there is in conceiving of an angel. For it is certain, that a separated soul, and an angel, are the liveliest and clearest representations of each other in the whole number of created beings -(•. Some make the difference betwixt them little more than of a sword in the scabbard, from one that is naked. A soul is but a genius in the body, and di genius (or angel) is a soul out of the body. An angel (saith another, is a complete and perfect soul, a soul an imperfect and incomplete angel.
The separate soul doth not become an angel by putting off the
* Hobb's Leviathan, chap. xxwi.
f Dr. More's immortality of the soul, 1. 2. c. 1 7. § 4, et 8. Bell, de Ascen. mentis.
A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAX. 61
body ; they are, and still will be divers species . but in this they agree, that in their common nature they are both spirits, that is, immaterial substances, endued with understanding, will, and active powers. And I know not why the one should not be as intelligible as the other ; or if there be any advantage, the soul certainly must have it, seeing our acquaintance with souls is much more intimate than with angels. Angels indeed have larger capacities, and have no natural inclination to be embodied as souls have; but their com- mon nature, as they are spirits are the same : and if we can conceive of one we may also of the other.
Sol. 4. But the difficulty seems to lie in this, how the soul can subsist alone without a body ; and how the habits of grace, which were infused into it in this life by sanctification, do inhere in it, or can be reduced into act by it, when it hath no bodily organs to work by.
As to the first, there is no difficulty at all, if we once rightly apprehend what is meant, when we call it a spiritual substance ; that is, a being by itself, independent upon any other creature as to its existence, as was opened before : the soul depends not for its life upon the body, but the body upon the soul. It is the same sword when it is drawn, as it was when sheathed in its scabbard ; the soul is as much itself, when separated from the body, as it was when united with it ; its being is independent on it, it can live and act in a body, and it can do so without it ; for it is a distinct being from its body ; a substantial being itself And,
Sol. 5. As for the habits of grace which accompany it to heaven, it would much facilitate our apprehensions of it, if we but compare acquired and infused habits with each other. It is true, they are of difierent natures and originals, but the soul is the subject of them both, and their inhesion and improvement is much after the same manner.
Take we then an acquired habit into consideration, which is nothing else but a permanent quality rendering the subject of it prompt and ready to perform a work with ease : suppose that of music or writing, and we shall find these habits to be safely lodged in the soul, as well when the body is laid into the deepest sleep, ■which is the image of death, as when it is awake and most active ; for they are both artists when asleep, and need learn no new rules to play or write when you awake them ; which shews the habits to be permanently rooted in their minds.
Infused habits of grace are as deeply rooted in the soul, yea, deeper than any acquired habits can be : for when knowledge and tongues shall be done away, love abideth, 1 Cor. xiii. 8. viz. after death, when the body is asleep in the grave.
6^rl A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAX.
Sol. 6. Add hereto, that these habits of grace are inseparably rooted or lodged in a subject, which is by nature a spirit, that is to say, an intelligent, active being, able to use its faculties of un- derstanding *, will, and affections, and consequently, in their use, to reduce these habits of grace inherent in them, into act, without the help of the body : for to suppose otherwise, were to despirit it, and destroy the very nature of it.
Moreover, let the spirit, thus furnished with gracious habits, be now considered in separation from the body, in which state it enjoyeth and rejoiceth in a double privilege it never had before, viz. perfection both of itself, and of its graces, and the nearest ac- cess to God it is capable of, 2 Cor. v. 6. " Absent from the body, " and present with the Lord."*' It hath now no body to clog or cloud it, nor can it complain of distance from God as it did in this world. Oh ! at what rate must we conceive the love and delight of a soul under these great advantages, to cast out their very spirits, as I may say, in their glorious activities and exercises ! Well then, here you find ' a spirit naturally endued with understanding, will,
* and affections : in these faculties and affections, the habits of ' grace are permanently rooted, which therefore accompany it in its ' ascension to glory : an ability to use and exercise these faculties ' and graces, and that in a more excellent degree and manner, ' than it did or could in this world, the subject and habits in- ' herent being now both made perfect : the clog of flesh knocked ' off, and all distance from God removed, by its coming home to ' him, even as near as the capacity of the soul can admit. Con-
* ceive such a spirit so quahfied, now ranked in its proper order ' among innumerable other holy and blessed spirits, which sur- ' round the throne of God, beholding his face with infinite delec- ' tation, and acting all its powers and grace to the highest, in ' worshipping, praising, loving, and admiring him that sitteth ' on the throne, and the Lamb for evermore." And then you have a true, though imperfect idea or notion of the spirit of stjust man made perfect.
I will not here make use of the other glass to represent a damned soul, separate for a time from its body, and for ever from the Lord : that will be shewn you in its proper place.
Query 2. Whether there he any difference in the sejjaraiion of gracious souls Jrom their bodies ? And if so, in what particulars doth the difference appear ?