* not muie, and shut out from all mutual traffic with each other, ex-
* cept what they have by the mediation of senses.
' Instances are found, that (as they say of two needles touched ' with the loadstone) the spirit of one at a distance, hath found ' itself affected with the motion and state of another. And this ' we are all sensible of, that there is a strong desire in us to com- ' munion of spirits ; and that, because the way most ready and ^ convenient to our bodily state is by sense, we are carj'ied Avith
* much inclination to maintain intercourse of our minds and spi- ' rits by sense ; but, as being made to a better way, our souls are « not satisfied with this present way, as being both painful and ' short. We cannot give an exact copy of our apprehensions, de- ' sires, designs, delights, and other affections, by these two great ' mediators of communion, the eye and the ear : but, because we ' are in so great a measure confined to this course, our souls, as it ' were, stand in these two gates, to send and receive mutual em- ' bassies from each other. Which way, as it is short in itself, so ' it is much shortened by distances, disaffection s, impotencies, and ^ disparities.'
I cannot imagine, that men, in a state of imperfection, should have so many ways to communicate their minds, as by speaking, writing, &c. yea, that the very birds and beasts, are, by nature, en- abled to signify to each other their inclinations ; and that the spi-
A TREATISE OF THE SOVh OV MAN. S5
YLlfi of just men (which are the best of all human spirits, and that when made perfect too, which is the best and highest state attain- able by them) should have none, but live at a greater disadvantage in this respect than they did, or the very birds and beasts in this world do. The sum of my thoughts about this matter, I will lay down in the following sections.
Section 1. The state of heaven, (as was at large opened in our eleventh proposition) being an association of angels and blessed souls, for the glorifying and praising of God in his temple there, and this worship being carried on by joint consent, as appears by their joint ascriptions of glory to God, Rev. vii. 9, 10, 11, 12. they must of necessity, for the orderly carrying on of this heavenly worship understand each other's mnids, and communicate their thoughts : for without this it is not imaginable how a joint or com- mon service, in which thousands of thousands are employed, can be decorously and orderly managed, except we conceive of them as so many machines^ or wind-instruments that are managed by an intel- ligent agent, though themselves be senseless and merely passive : certainly their consent is a different thing from that of the keys of a harpsichord, or strings of a lute, they are intelligent beings, who understand their own and each other's mind : and besides, without this ability, that society in heaven would be less comfortable, as to mutual refreshing fellowship, than the society of saints is here. So that it is not to be doubted, but these noble and excellent spirits can, and do communicate their thoughts to each other, and that ia a most excellent way.
Sect. 2. But yet we cannot imagine these communications be^ twixt them to be by words, formed by such instruments and organs of speech as we now use, for they are bodiless beings ; words, and articulate sounds, are fitted to the use and service of embodied spi^ rits. It is therefore probable, that they convey and communicate their minds to one another, as the blessed angels d.o, not with tongues of flesh, (though we read of the tonguea of angels, 1 Cor, xiii. 1.) but in a way somewhat analogous to this, though much more noble and excellent *. For look, as the scripture stiles the most excellent food, angels food; so the most excellent speech, or most eloquent tongues, angels tongues. The purest rhetoric that ever flowed from the lips of the most charming orator, is but bab. blinfT, to the language of angels, or of spirits made perfect.
When Paul was wrapt into the third heaven, where he was ad- mitted to the sight and hearing of this blessed assembly, it is sai4
* It is certain, angels have not tongues, but something analogous tljereuntp, by which thejy communicate their thoughts to one another, Lv^kifoot
86 A TKEATISK OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
he heard ao^'/,ra e>}/xara, words unspeakable, spiritual language, such as his tongue neither could, or ought to utter ; such as none but heavenly inhabitants can speak. And, Dan. viii. 13. " I heard, " (said Daniel) one saint speaking, and another saint said unto " that certain saint that spake," &c. He heard the enquiries of the angels, desiring to know the mystery from the mouth of Christ A language they have, l^ut not like ours.
Sect. 3. The communications of angels, and souls in heaven, is therefore conceived to be an abihty in those blessed spirits, silently and without sound, to instil and insinuate their minds and thoughts to each other, by a mere act of their wills; just as we now speak to God, or ourselves *, in our hearts, when our lips do not move, nor the least outward sign appears.
There are two ways by which the souls of men speak, one out- wardly, by the instruments of speech, or sensible signs; the other inwardly, without sound, or sign. This inward, silent speech, is nothing else but an act of the will, calhng forth such things into our actual thoughts and meditations, which before lay hid and quiet in the memory, or habit of knowledge. These thoughts, or actual revolvings of things in the mind, are in scripture called "IH^ tDr "im a word or speech in the heart, Deut. xv. 9. Take heed to thyself, that there be not a wicked word in thy heart ; we trans- late it, a zcicked thought : thoughts are tlie words, and voice of the soul. And so. Mat. ix. 3. they spake within themselves, i. e. their souls spake, though their lips moved not. " All meditation is an " inward speech of the soul, and therefore rii^ indifferently sig- " nifies both to speak, and to meditate f." The objects which we revolve in our thoughts, are so many companions with whom we converse ; and thus a man, (like Heinsius) may be in the midst of abundance of excellent company, when he is all alone. And this is silent talk to ourselves, without any sound or noise.
Object. But you will say, Though the spirit of a man can thus talk to., or with itself ; yet this can signify nothing to others : For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man that is in him ? 1 Cor. ii. 11. It is not therefore enough to open this internal door of the will ; for except we open also tlie external \ door of the lips, no man can Icnoiv our minds, or be admitted into the se^
* We are said to speak to ourselves in our hearts, when we actually think upon, or revolve any thing in our minds j but we think actually, at the command of the will, i. e. when we will. Zanch.