LIFE AND DEATH, 4C. 165 of life as proceed from the especial nature of this quick- in allusion whereunto the spiritual estateof unregenerate men is thus described. Sect. 4. Life in general, or the life of a living crea- ture is, Actus Yivfficantis in Vivjfieatum per uninnem utriusque, the act of a quickening principle on a subject to be quickened, by virtue of their union. And three things are to be considered in it: (I.) The principle of life itself. And this in man is the rational living soul; called a aces. Gen. ii. 7. ss God breathed intohis nostrils the breath of life, and "man became a living soul." Having formed the body of man of the dust of the earth, hedesigned him a prin- ciple of life superior unto that of brute creatures, which is but the exurgency and spirit of their temperature and composition, though peculiarly educed by the formative virtue and power of the Holy Ghost, as bath been be- fore declared. He creates for him, therefore, a separ- ate, distinct, animating soul, and infuseth it into the matter prepared for,its reception. And as he did that in the beginning of the creation, of the species or kind of human race in its first individuals, so he continueth to do the same in the ordinary course of the works of his providence for the continuation of it: for having ordained the preparation of the body by generation, he immediately infuseth into it the living soul, the breath of life. (2.) There is the Actus primas, or the quickening act of this principle on the principle quickened in and by virtue of union. Hereby the whole man becomes n'nvs'-, a living soul; 'Yvxreos ,4teovos, a person quick- ened by a vitalprinciple, and enabled for all naturally vital actions. (S.) There are the acts of this life itself. And they are of two sorts: (1.) Such as flow from life, as life. (2.) Such as proceed from it, as such a life, from the principle of a rational soul. Those of the first sort are natural and necessary; as are all the actings, and ener- gies of the senses, of the locomotive faculty, as also what belongs unto the receiving and improving of nutri- ment These are acts of life; whence the Psalmist proves idols to be dead things, from the want of them; so far are they from having a divine life, as that they have no life at all; Peal. cxv. 4, 5, 6, 7. These are acts of life, as life inseparable from it, and their end is to preserve the union of the whale, between the quick- ening and quickenedprinciples. 2. There are such acts ening principle. Such are all the elicit, and imperate acts of our understandings and wills; all actions that are voluntary, rational, and peculiarly human. These pro- ceed from that special kind of life, which is given by the especial quickening principle of a rational soul. Sect. 5. Hence it is evident wherein death natural doth consist. And three things may be considered in it: (I.) The separation of the soul from the body. Hereby the act of infusing the living soul, ceaseth un- to all its ends: for as a principle of life unto the whole, it operates only by virtue of its union with the subject to be quickened by it. (2.) A cessation of all vital act- ings in the quickened subject; for that union from whence they should proceed is dissolved. (3.) As a consequent of these, there is in the body an impotency for, and an ineptitude unto, all vital operations. Not only do all operations of life actually cease, but the body is no more able to effect them. There remains in it indeed, Potencia obedientialis, a passive power to receive life again, if communicated unto it by an ex- ternal efficient cause. So the body of Lazarus being dead, had a receptive power of a living soul. But an active power to dispose itself unto life or vital actions, it hath not. Sect. 6.From these things we may by a just ana- logy, collect wherein life and death spiritual do consist. And to that end some things must be previously ob- served: As 1: That Adam, in the state of innocency, besides his natural life, whereby he was a living soul, had likewise a supernatural life with respect unto its end, whereby lie lived unto God. This is called the life of God, Ephes. iv. t8; which men now, in the state of nature, are alienated from; the life which God re- quires, and which hath God for its object and end.. And this life was in him supernatural: for although it was concreated in, and with the rational soul, as a per- fection due unto it, in the state wherein, and with respect unto the end for which it was made; yet it did not naturally flow from the principles of the rational soul; nor were the principles, faculties, or abilities, of it inseparable from those of the soul itself, being only accidental perfections of then., inlaid in them by espe- cial grace. This life seas necessary unto him, with re- spect unto the state wherein, and the end for which he was made. He was made to live unto the living God,
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