there are other Questions which naturally follow that.

I need only mention, that those who have laid out great Eftates in Books, and whofe Understandings lie in those Books, are like to be no great Friends to my Undertaking; for if it fucceed, they will almost all be for one Ufe, and there will not be fufficient Confumption.

Before we attempt to view the first Tranfactions between God and Man, or prefume to confider the Words which relate to the Being of God; it is neceffary we enquire a little who, and what we are, what Relation we have to him, what Powers we have to know him, how we came by them, what Means we have, and how we came by them. I fhall not trouble you much with Imaginations or Proofs, à pofteriori, I muft refort to the Fountain. We have firft, Gen. i. 26. a Relation that the Aleim by an Interlocution among themselves refolv'd, and fo form'd the Sub

אדמה Man, of the Duft of אדם itance of

which had been created, of the fame Matter, and without any Difference from the other Beasts, as Gen. ii. 19. fo 1 Cor. xv. 45. fave that he was to be in the Image according to the Similitudes (for the Word is Plural) of the Aleim. In his Image,

in the Image of the Aleim, explains Similitudes, there was one Image, and four Similitudes, two joint, fo three; but there was alfo a Similitude in the Mind which resembles the joint Act in Similitudes, or Perfons in the Aleim. This feems to be fetting him very high; but who the Aleim were, or what Image or Similitudes there were, or were to be of them, has not lately been confider'd, and is Part of the Subject of the following Work. But the next Account we have of Man, which was previous to his Actions, which fo much. concern us, and was defign'd to give us an Account of his Natures, is Gen. ii. 7. We have there the Addition of Jehovah to Aleim, (to fhew who that was, is another Part of the faid Work) and we have an Account, that they made the Body of the fame Matter, but that they no in

הי a Soul of Lives, and נשמת חיים fufed

was the Body was for, or to the Ufe of, a Frame alive. The Mifconftruction of thefe Words has fill'd the Scripture with Nonfenfe and Falfhood, and made one Part of them, in plain Words, contradict another, made even our Writers and Preachers affert, that there is no Mention, in the Old Teftament, of any Life after this; that the Jews never thought of

any

any fuch Thing; made thofe who read the Tranflation with ever fo good Abilities and Intent, uncertain what Body or Soul is; nay, indeed, whether they have any Souls, or, which is much the fame, whether they are mortal or immortal; and made thofe, who are otherwise inclin'd, make a Jeft of the Book.

חיה a Frame נפש As Adam was for

living, and the Soul was breathed into the living Frame, we shall firft confider . Coc. 520. "As that by which Man lives as an Animal, is called the Life, fo that by which he lives, as Man: And every Affection or Appetite, fimilar to that which falls under the Animal Life, is attributed to Anima, the Life; though the Knowledge falls not under any corporeal Thing. C. WD Ethiop. There are two Lives or Souls in Man, the one, which is the Breath or Spirit of Life (that is, the rational Soul) proceeding from the Mouth of God the Creator, which relates not to the elementary Nature of Man, neither doth it die. The other is the animal Faculty, (that is, the fenfitive Life or Soul) and this is compounded of the Elements, and is itself Mortal. Or, IL." "Tis a Frame, a fecondary Machine, fo Microcofm made of the Atoms of DN vegetable Mould, compos'd of Veffels, Tubes,

and

and Strainers, containing Fluids liable to the Action of the Parts of the great Machine; fo to be put into Motion by the Parts of Light pervading the Veffels and Tubes. I think I may fay now, that first formed in the Egg, fo diftinguished from the Bones, which are but a Support to the Frame, and from Ligaments, Flesh and Skin, which are for its feveral Ufes and Covering; fo a Frame with Fluids in it, which by that Degree or Species of Fire, or that Action of Light which exifts in Fluids, may be circulated before we are born, and which, befides Perfpiration, is able to admit Air, and emit Breath, which is occafioned by Circulation after Birth, and without which Circulation cannot go on, or continue. And as the Action of the Agent is folely upon the Fluids, and the Effects produced with them, and the Veffels or Tubes are only Guides, in Refpect of the Atonement the Blood is nam'd as chief, at other Times 'tis but call'd the Blood of the Frame, as a Part of it: So a Frame whofe Fluids are liable to be mov'd, and fo made to live by breathing, which is. the outward Part of the Act, and is given for the Idea, and when thofe Fluids are in Motion, though paffive, a Circulator, a Breather. This Action, I think, may be

the

the fimple Signification of : but the Organs of this Frame, exclufive of Bones; and I think I may fay, of Flesh, by this Motion, are capable of Senfation, Appetite; Affection, &c. and the Agent with this Frame and Fluids jointly, with Bones, Ligaments, &c. to move the Parts of, or remove the whole Man. B. C. 1675. Maimonides, in More-Book II. Chap. 1. where he treats of the firft Mover, he faith this Stone which is moved, the Stick moves; the Hand moves the Stick ; the Nerves move the Hand; the Arteries move the Nerves; the Muscles move the Arteries; the natural Heat (which you will fee is the Steam) moves the Muscles; the Frame (w) which is within, moves or excites the natural Heat, and this is, without Doubt, the firft Mover."

This depends upon proper Supplies for the Agent to operate upon to fuftain this Life, Parts to be fo employ'd, Parts to be apply'd while growing, and after, in lieu of those wafting, and Parts to be discharged, then capable of being made immortal, now liable to Death, Fermentation and Diffolution, and to be new formed. Without Diftinction, fuppofed to be alive, but with Diftinction either alive or dead, as a Watch without Diftinction is fuppofed to. VOL. III.

C

be