inContriving att'fi IflettniptQn, 2. There were convenient Objects, to entertainhis Chap. I. fenftive faculties. He enjoyed Nature in its original Purity, crown'd with thebenedictionof God, before 'twas blafted with the curie. The World was all Harmony and Beauty, becoming the goodnefs of the Creator; and not as 'tis fince the Fall diforder'd and deform'd inmany parts, the effect of his Juftice. The Earth was liberal to Adam of' all its Treatures; the Heavens of their Light, and fweeteft Influences. Hewas feated in Eden, a place of fo great beauty and delight, that it reprefented the Celeflial Paradife which is refrefht with Rivers of Pleafure. And as the ultimate End of the Creatures was to raite his mind, and inflame his heart with the love ofhis great Benefactor; fo their ñrft and natural ufe was the fatisfa&ion of the Senfes, fromwhence the felicity of the Animal Life did proceed. 2. His fupreme Happinefs confifted in the exercife ofhis moft noble Faculties on their proper Obje&s. This will appear by confdering, that as the fpiritual Faculties have objeïls which infinitely excel thole of the fen(itive; fo their capacity is more inlarged, their unionwith ob]eels is more intimate, and their percep- tion is with more quicknefs arid vivacity: and there- by are the greateft infiruments of pleafure to the ra- tional being. Now the higheft Faculties in Man are the Vnder,ftanding andWill, and their happinefs con- fills in unionwith God by Knowledge and Love. r. In the Knowledge of God. As the delire of Knowledge is the molt natural to the humane Soul, fo the obtaining of it produces the molt noble and fweet- eft pleafure. And proportionably to the degrees of excellency that are in objeas, fo much ofrational Per- fe&ion and Satisfaction accrues to the mind by the knowledge of them. The difcovery of the Works of C God
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