The Immortality of the Soui. ~ to exprefs their vigor and velolity. But the Mind by its internal light conceives them in ~ another manner, by a Spiritual Form, that exceeds the unno!'c efficacy of the corporeal · Orga,ns, fo that 'cis evident the Soul as intelle&ual in its fingular and mo!'c praper operations, is notafli!'ced by the mini!'cry of the ~nfes. ~. 'Tis objeCted that the Soul in its fuperior operations depends on the convenient trmper of the Body. The thoughts are clear and orderly when the Brain is compos' d. On ·che contrary \)'hen the predominancy of an humour di!'cempers it, the Mind feels its infirmicies. And from hence it feems to be ofa Corporeal Nature, depending on the Body in its Being, as in its Working. Bur rhis, if duly confider'd, will raife no ju!'c prejudice again!'c its Spiritual Immortal Nature. For, 1: The Symparhy of things is no convincing Argument (hat they are of the fame Nature. There may pe fo !'crifr an union •of Beings of different Natures, that they mu!'c neceffarily be fubjefr to impceflions from one another. Can any Reafons demon!'crate that a Spiritual fubflance endowed with the powers of underflandin!$ and will , cannot be united in aVitalcompofition to a Body, . astheVegetative Soul JSin Plants, and the &enlitive in Beafls ? There is no implicite repugnance in this that proves it impollible. Now if fuch a complex Being were in Nature, how would that fpiritual Soul aCt in that Body, that in its fir~ union with it (excepting fome un!verfal Principles) is a rafa tabula, ~~bl:~~~:.:~~n:;~~~~st~u~~=n~.:~mgs wntten m"? Certainly in no other inia#- Indeed if Man as compounded of Soul and Body, were a fenfitive Animal, andonly " rational as partaking of the Univerfal IntelleCt lent to individuals for a time, and retiring at Death to its firfl Being, as .4verroes fancied, there would be no caufe of fuch a Sympathy: But the Soul as intellefrual, is an informinll, not aflifling Form. And io i1 an evident proof of the Wifdom and Goodnefs of the Cre~tor, by this !'crifr and ferlfible union, to make the Soul vigilant and a/tive, to provide for the convenience and C</!IJ- ;h~~e'£o~~ ~Kc~nat~~J'{~~d:nf\;~~l;::ti~~~t notwith!'candin~ fuch a difc.ord in Nature, 2. Though the mental operations of the Soul are hindred by the ill habit of the Body, ~etse1~-u~~~J~i~csd: ~~t1o~';;i~l~t'~:!n;~~~s ~~e~·~; ~~;~rth~i~y~;si~Fea;gr~: though the Mufick is not fo harmonious as when 'tis juflly tuned. The vifive faculty is ~~:ill~~~~~;~:~v!hJi~!~~~i,i~~:~a;~h~~ ~~:~;hr.~r~}\~i~~;~~ ;h~i~~:r;rhe r:;= rits are inflam'd, and made fierce and unruly, ~nd the Images in the Fancy are put into confulion, the Mind cannot regularly govern and ufe them: When the fumes are evaporated, the Brain is refior'd to its temper and fitnefs for intellec:tual operations, but the Mind is not cur'd, that was not burr by thofe Diflempm. Briefly, the Deniers of the Soui:s Immortality, refomble in their arguings · fome who oppos'd the Divinity ofour Saviour. For asApoUinari< and EunomiiH from Chrifl's Sleep- ~:/.~~"'' ing foprofoundlyinaStomJ, infleadofconcluding that he was a real Man, fallly inferr'd that he was not God: Becaufe Sleep is not the fatisfutlion of a Divine appetite, the · Deity is incapable ofit. But they conf!der'd not his more thaa Humane Pewer it> rebuking the Winds and the Sea with that Empire, that was f.Jtand obeyed by thofe infenfible Creatures: So thofe whofe interefl inclines them to believe that Man is intircly Mortal, alledge that he aCts as a fenfitive Creature, fur he is fo, but confider not ~hat he has alfo more noble Faculties to underfland Obje& purely Spiritual, and God himfelf the mofl: perfeCt in that <>rder, which no material Principle, though of the mofl fubtile and line!'c n MiMi i'wiJem contexture can reach unto. Befides, the more 'tis. difengaged from Matter, and retir'd. ~![£.~;, ~~e~~&sb;r~~ atfol~t~r~e~:fa~~~ i·~;:f~0 frr~~~~ ~~ijhl~,"x:~~tdi~':c~=~~~s:o~~~~~·~= =~:t(~ f~~~~it r:C~~t:h~~a~~flhbe~~t~~~~~~~/~bafi~~e'n:st~~;0o?~t~~~~~~~~ t~a~~~teb~; iff,;~"' iu to the con!'cant and diligent performance of our Duty. 'Tis therefore a frnitlefs curiality ~~;:;;, :Cm-;: to enquire after ir. But to imagine that becaufe rhe Soul in the pre[ent ftate canno.t tffe ir.fipi~~ w~~ underftand clearly without the convenient dirpofition of the Body., rberefore it cannot ~;m~~n~:: aQ at all without it, is as abfurd as to fancy becaufe a Man confin'd to a Chamber fi!fit, f•' :rm cannot fee the Obje& without, but through the _Windows, therefore he cannot fee at all; :::!E·:;: kfst ~~h~gh fuch a Medium;, and that when hen out of the Chamber he has totally lo!'c r4iffet,,tNm ~~. ~i&~~m, C HA P;
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