Two choice and useful treatises the one, Lux orientalis, or, An enquiry into the opinion of the Eastern sages concerning the praeexistence of souls, being a key to unlock the grand mysteries of providence in relation to mans sin and misery : the other, A discourse of truth / by the late Reverend Dr. Rust ... ; with annotations on them both.

The third Pillar.

(3) Things are carried to their proper place and state, by the congruity of their natures; where this fails, we may suppose some arbitrary ma∣nagements.

THE Congruity of things is their suit∣ableness to such or such a state or con∣dition; And 'tis a great Law in the Divine and first constitutions, that things should in∣cline and move to what is suitable to their natures. This in sensibles is evident in the motions of consent and sympathy. And the ascent of light, and descent of heavy bodies, must I doubt when all is done, * be resolv'd into a principle that is not meerly corporeal. Yea, supposing all such things to be done by the Laws of Mechanicks, why may we not conceive, that the other rank of Beings, Spirits, which are not subject to corporeal motions, are also dispos'd of by a Law pro∣per to their natures, which since we have no other name to express it by, we may call congruity? We read in the sacred History that Judas went to his own place; And 'tis very probable that Spirits are conveyed to their

proper states and residence, * as naturally as the fire mounts, or a stone descends. The Platonists would have the Soul of the world to be the great Instrument of all such distributi∣ons, as also of the Phaenomena, that are be∣yond the powers of matter: And 'tis no un∣likely Hypothesis: But I have no need to ingage further about this: nor yet to speak more of this first part of my Principle, since it so nearly depends on what was said in be∣half of the former Maxim. Yet of the lat∣ter we need a word or two.

When therefore we cannot give account of things either by the Laws of Mechanicks or conceivable Congruities, (* as likely some things relating to the States of Spirits, and immaterial Beings can be resolv'd by nei∣ther) I say then, we may have recourse to the Arbitrary managements of those invisible Ministers of Equity and Justice, which with∣out doubt the world is plentifully stored with. For it cannot be conceived that those active Spirits are idle or unimployed in the momentous concerns of the Ʋniverse. Yea, the sacred volume gives evidence of their in∣terposals in our affairs. I shall need menti∣on but that remarkable instance in Daniel, of the indeavours of the Prince of Persia, and of Grecia, to hinder Michael, and the other Angel, that were ingaged for the affairs of Judea; Or if any would evade this, what

think they of all the apparitions of Angels in the old Testament, of their pitching their Tents about us, and being Ministring Spirits for our good. To name no more such passages. Now if those noble Spirits will ingage them∣selves in our trifling concernments, doubt∣less they are very sedulous in those affairs that t••nd to the good and perfection of the Ʋniverse. But to be brief; I advance.