f E/crov iv auTOig, T1^'W, Cum puncts sinistra, loeutus est ore, aut corde cogitavit, 7ne- iUtatits est.
\ There are two doors with respect to others, and unless thou open both of these, it is not possible that another man can know what passes in thy mind, or be adaaitted into the secrets of thy heart. On the part of the soul, the will is the one
A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 8?
crets of your soul ; should we never so earnestly desire that another should know our mirid, except we please^ to discover ithya word, or sign, he cannot know it ; and therefore an act of the will is notsuf- Jicient, without some external signification superadded. And these souls being bodiless, can give no outward signification.
Sol. There is, indeed, a necessity among men in this world, to unlock another door, beside that of the will, to communicate the secrets of their hearts to others ; " but * angels, and the spirits " of men, having no bodies, consequently have but one door, to " wit, that of the will, to open ; and the opening thereof, (which " is done by one act or desire, in a moment) is enough to discover " so much of their minds, as they would have discovered to ano- " ther spirit. If they keep the door of their will sliut, no angel, or *' spirit, can know what is in their thoughts, without a revelation " from God ;" and if they but will, or desire others should know, no words can so fully manifest one man's mind to another, as such an act of the will doth manifest theirs. And this, saith learned Zanchy, is the tongue of angels ; and the same way the spirits of men have to make known their mind in the unembodied state. It is but the turning the key of the will, and their thoughts, or de- sires are presently seen and known, by others, to whom they will discover them, as a man's face is seen in a glass, when he pleaseth to turn his face to it. Would one spirit make known his mind to another, it is but to will he should know it, and it is immediately known.
Sect. 4. This internal way of speaking and communication among spirits is much more noble, perfect, and excellent, than that which is in use among us, by words and signs ; and that in two respects, viz.
2. Of dispatch and speed.
1. Spiritual language is more clearly expressive of the mind and thoughts, than words, writings, or any other external signs can be. The greatest masters of language do often cloud their mean- ing, for want of words fit and full enough to express it : truth suf- fers by the poverty and ambiguity of words ; many controversies are but mere strifes about words, and scufflings in the dark, by
door, for unless thou incline to reveal to others these things which lie hid in thy hearty who can know them ? the other door is the hody of flesh itself, and therefore, although having, as it were, opened the first and inward door, thou incline to make known unto another what is in the mind, yet he can in no way know this, unless thou also open the other door which is external. Zanchius^ on the works oj" God, book 3. chap. 29.
* Quomnm igilni' angcli iis carent crassis corporibus, idcirco nihil imj)edit, quo miuus quee unus angelus in stia versat mente, ea alter videat, voluntas : si enim ea nolit ab altero resciriy nurnqnam, nisi Deo revelante, rescientur, Zanch. ubi supra,
88 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
the mistake of each other's sense and meaning ; few have the ability of putting their own meanings into apt, proper, and full expres- sion ; and, if they can, yet others to whom they speak, want an answerable ability of understanding and clearness of apprehension to receive it. If we could discern the true and natural sense of things, just as it is in the mind of the speaker, or writer, how many controversies would be thereby quickly ended ?
But spirits unbodied so convey their sense and mind to one another, that there can be no mistakes, no darkenings of counsel, by words without knowledge ; but one receives it just as it lies in the other's mind.
2. Spiritual language is more easy, and of quicker dispatch ; some men have voluble tongues, and are more ready and presen- tial than others ; their tongues are as the pen of a ready scribe : and others, no less ready with their hands, which keep pace with, yea, out-run the tongue of the speaker, as Martial notes. Currant verba licet, manus est velocior illis : Ncmdum lingua suum dextra, peregit opus *.
Yet all this is but bungling work, to the ready dispatch of spi- rits ; one act of the will opens the window to discern the mind of another clearly ; so that the converse of spirits must needs be more excellent, in both respects, than any we are accustomed to, or acquainted with in this world. I will shut up this question with one.
Corollary, Long to be associated with the spirits of just men made perfect. You that are going to join that blessed assembly, w'll even in this respect, gain an invaluable advantage. It is true, th;^re is much of comfort in the present converses of embodied and imperfect saints ; it is sweet to fast and pray, to sigh and groan together ; it is sweeter to rejoice and praise our God to- gether ; it is sweet to talk of heaven with our faces thitherward ; but alas ! what is this to the converses that are among the spirits of just men made perfect ! With what melting hearts have we sometimes sat, under the doctrine of the gospel ! How have our ears been chained with delight to the preacher's lips, whilst he hath been discoursing of those ravishing subjects, Christ, and heaven t But alas ! how dry and dull a thing is the best of this, to the lan- guage of heaven ! Three things debase and spoil the communica- tions of the saints on earth, viz. the darkness, dulness, and fro- thiness thereof.
1. The darkness and ignorance of our understandings. How crude, weak, and indigested are our highest and purest notions of spiritual things ! we speak of them but as children, 1 Cor. xiii. 11.
* Martial, Ejngr. lib. 14. ep. 176.
A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 89
ior alas ! the vail is yet upon our faces. The body of sin, and the body of flesh cast a very dark shadow upon the world to come ; but the apprehensions of separated souls are most bright and clear. This darkness begets mistakes ; mistakes beget so many quarrels and janglings, that our fellowship on earth losetli, at once, both its profit and pleasure.
2. There is much dulness and deadness accompanying the com- munion of saints on earth, abundance of precious time is wasted among us in unprofitable silence, and when we engage in discour- ses of heaven, that discourse is often little better than silence ; our words freeze betwixt our lips, and we speak not with that con- cernedness and warmth of spirit, which suits with such subjects.
It is not so among our brethren above ; their affections are at the highest pitch, giving glory to God in the highest.