and Parts of the Body receive and convey Ideas by the Help of the Light, Air, or Spirit, and other Parts of Matter, it is fufficiently revealed, that his Effence will fupply Men hereafter, inftead of Light, Air, &c. with the Power of taking and conveying Ideas. But whatever Powers created, unbodied, or imbodied Minds above, have, or we fhall have hereafter, of acting, perceiving, or knowing; these imbodied ones here, were to have no other Ideas but what came in by the Senfes of the animal Part, and confequently could have none of the Existence, Powers, or Actions, of other Minds, or Things unfeen, but, comparatively, taken from itself and those Things feen or understood. Therefore, to answer this State of these Creatures, it was not only neceffary to have a Machine which was to keep the animal Part alive, and alfo to produce Fruits and Creatures, circulate Water, &c. to supply their Decays, and to convey Ideas to them of fuch Things as concern these Actions, or the Body; but also that fomething in this System should be framed to furnish them with Ideas of what was neceffary to be known or believed of another State, and of the Beings in it, and of the different States or Conditions of Light of Darkness,

Darkness, which they themselves were liable to.

A Being which is infinitely perfect, needs nothing, nor depends upon any Thing elfe for Happiness; created Beings must be fubordinate, want fomething of Perfection, depend upon the Being which created them, and must have thofe Things which were intended to make them ealy or happy, or want Eafe or Happiness. Man was not created perfect, nor in Poffeffion of the State of that Degree of Happiness intended for him; but was to acquire that State by Obedience; was to live in a State of Probation and Dependance for a Time. And befides, their Bodies and Souls being fupported and enabled to receive Ideas, &c. befides their Capacities of performing Obedience here, and Enjoyment of Happiness hereafter, there was to be fomething to fupport the Mind in this State of Trial, that it fhould not yield to the Body here. The Pleafures of Sense were not fufficient nor durable to fatisfy his Mind, nor had he any thing to depend upon for that Satisfaction hereafter, but what arofe from the Ideas of Power, Juftice, and other Perfections of the Effence, and an Affurance of the divine Favour. His Mind was adapted to his State; and thofe

Ideas, and that Affurance, were made fufficient to please his Mind in this State; therefore there was, upon this Account, an abfolute Neceffity that he should have fome means to borrow Ideas from, to form Ideas of God, tho' not adequate to God, yet as high as his Capacities were able to ad

mit.

From the Series of Things, it does, and will more fully appear, that Man was made and placed here to qualify himself for hereafter, by acquiring the Knowledge of his Creator; and the Effect of that Knowledge, was to appear in his Actions. They were not to live here, like a Common-wealth independent of a Sovereign, and only be civil to one another; that was not the Nature of their Trial.

We have afferted, that the Ideas of real Things, or Actions, come into the Soul by the Perception of the Senfes, or from Revelation, by the Help of fome of thofe Ideas; and Man hath none other wife, nor can he raife an Idea of any thing animate or inanimate, either all together, or in Parts, which he hath not perceived or had by Revelation, as aforefaid. And there is a Power in the Soul, which is the fame as the Eye is to the Body, fees what comes in by the Senfes, and what is revealed by

the

the borrowed Ideas which had come in by, the Senfes, and nothing else; fo it cannot be fure that any thing elfe is true. There is another Power in the Soul, of recording these Ideas which have once come in, and of calling for them, and producing them for Evidence, upon Occafion; then, and fince, of having them renewed, or restored, by the Relation of others, by Reprefentations, &c. fince, by committing them to, and perufing the Writing. There is another Power in the Soul (which I think they call Reason) of comparing the Ideas of Things which come in immediately from the Perception of Things prefent, or of those produced by Memory, or of those reftored by the Relations of others, or by Representations, or by the Writings of Self or others, and of weighing them. The true Knowledge of the Works of God, in his Creation and Formation of those Parts which are made his Agents, of the Law or Duty which God appointed to the inanimate and animate Parts of created Matter, and the Services and Ufes of the Things created and formed, was Adam's Perfection, and enabled him to reafon juftly. How he came by that Knowledge, is to be confidered.

Where a proper Degree of fenfible. Knowledge and Revelation are used together, there Reafon is determined to those Refolutions they call Inftinct about God, a future State, &c. So Heb. v. 14. who by Reafon of Tny w ufe have their Senfes exercifed to difcern both Good and Evil; where there is nothing but fenfitive Knowledge, to what they call Inftincts of Senfe. Reafoning upon Evidence, is from God; reafoning without Evidence, or upon falfe Evidence, is from the Devil, was his firft Crime, was the firft in Man, and the Caufe of all Error, in all fucceeding Generations. Thence the Devil is the Father of Lies, &c.

If you break any Link in the Chain of revealed or natural Truth, and put in an imaginary one in its ftead, and reafon upon all the reft with that for one, all the Results will be falfe, and lead you into many Evils. So your Reason was depraved at first, and so it has been even fince, and will be, till fuch are weeded out. This caufed original Sin, (of which hereafter) and this is the Caufe of all Sin: No Man can fin till he firft imagine; for we not only always imagine before we Sin, but juft before we commit any or every Sin. Nay, the Imagination must continue till

we