[CHAP. X. Concerning the Ioys or Torments of the Blessed and Cursed, after they are in Heaven, or Hell.]
As for the Ioys of Heaven, and the Torments of Hell, all the Parts of my Mind agreed, they could not conceive any more probably, than those they had formerly conceived: which former Conceptions they had occasioned the Sensitive Parts to declare; and having been formerly divulged in the Book of my Orations, their Opinion was, That it would be a superfluous Work to cause them to be repeated in this Book. But, the Ground or Foundation of those Conceptions, is, That God may decree, That both the Sensitive and Rational Parts of those that are restored to Life, should move in variety of Perceptions, or Conceptions, without variety of Objects: and, that those Creatures (viz. Human Creatures) that are raised from Death to Life, should subsist without any Forrein Matter, but should be always the same in Body and Mind, without any Traffick, Egress, or Regress of Forrein Parts. And the proof, that the Sensitive and Rational Parts of Human Creatures, may make Perceptions, or rather Conceptions, without Forrein Objects, is, That many men in this world have had Conceptions, both amongst the Rational and Sensitive, which Man names Visions, or Imaginations; whereof some have been Pleasing and Delightful; others, Displeasing, and Dreadful.
[The Third Part.]
[The PREAMBLE.]
The Parts of my Mind, after some time of respite from Philosophical Arguments, delighting in such harmless Pastimes; did begin to argue about a Regular and Irregular World; having formerly agreed, there might be such Worlds in Nature; and that the Regular Worlds, were Happy Worlds; the Irregular, Miserable Worlds. But, there was some division amongst the Parts of my Mind, concerning the choice of their Arguments; as, Whether to argue, first, of the particular Parts of the Regular, or of the Irregular World. But, at last, they agreed to argue, first, of the Regular World. But, pray mistake not these Arguments; for they are not Arguments of such Worlds as are for the reception of the Blessed and Cursed Humans, after their Resurrections: but, such as these Worlds we are of, only freely Regular, or Irregular. Also, though I treat but only of one Regular World, and one Irregular World; yet, my opinion is, there may be a great many Irregular Worlds, and a great many Regular Worlds, of several kinds and sorts: but, these I shall treat of, are such as are somewhat like this World we are of.