Expository notes, with practical observations; towards the opening of the five first chapters of the first book of Moses called Genesis. Delivered by way of exposition in several lords-dayes exercises.: By Benjamin Needler, minister of the gospel at Margaret Moses Friday-Street, London.

Quest. 6. verse 7.

Why doth the Lord speak distinctly in this verse concerning mans body and soul? We shall finde God speaks of other crea∣tures in the bulk, body and soul together, Let the waters bring forth abandantly, the moving creature that hath life, and so, verse * 1.1 24. Let the earth bring forth the living crea∣ture after his kinde? &c.

To note the spirituality and immateri∣ality [Resp. 1] of the soul; the soul of man, non edu∣citur ex potentiâ materiae, as the Learned phrase it; but the body was made of one kind of substance, and the soul of another: for, Consider.

1. The condition, and nature of its ob∣ject,

speaks this truth; Seneca could say, Hoc habet argumentum anima suae divinitatis, quòd illam divina delectant; This argument of its spirituality, hath the soul of man, in its own essence, that it is delighted with things divine and spiritual. If the soul were material, we could not reach to the know∣ledge of any thing but that which is mate∣rial: and we might as well see Angels with our eyes, as understand them with our mindes. We say, Receptio fit per modum re∣cipientis; you cannot fill a chest with vertue.

2. Its independence on the body: it is able of it self to performe its own actions, without the help and concurrence of the outward man. It seeth when the eys beshut, and sometimes seeth not when the eyes be open. It travelleth while the body resteth & resteth when the body travelleth, Rev. 1. 10. When John saw his glorious revelati∣on, he is said to be in the spirit: when Paul had his revelations, and saw things unutter∣able, he knew not, whether he were in the body or out of the body: for beleevers to know, that there are laid up for the Saints such joyes, which eye hath not seene, nor eare heard: what is this but to leave sense behinde us, and out-run our bodies?

3. Time that wears out all corporeal things, addes perfection to the souls and under∣standings of men: old men, who have the weakest bodies, have the most lively and vi∣gorous souls: yea, we may observe, that men who have the most admirable soul-accom∣plishments, have usually the weakest bo∣dies, and are not of the longest lives. 'Tis a remarkable passage, that of Saint John to Gaius, I wish, saith he, that thy body prosper∣ed, even as thy soul prospers.

Here is a clear text against the Atheists of these dayes, that question whether there [ 2] be a soul or not; the truth is, a man can∣not doubt of it, without it; as a man can∣not prove Logick to be unnecessary, but by Logick, as a man cannot say he is dumb, without speaking.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 1. 20 24