DISCOURSE III. 837 substance superadded to them, this objection vanishes. Christ's pre-existent soul united to his divine nature, assumed a living animal human body when he became incarnate ; for it is now agreed that the human thinking rational soul does not give animal life to the organizedbody, which life arises from the circulation of the blood, inspiration and expiration of air, &c. H. But suppose the human body were lifeless, without a rational soul, why may not Christ's rational pre-existent soul be united to this body, and give life to it as well as a new created soul? Therefore this objection vanishes in all the views of it. Objection III. 0° How can you suppose so glorious a Being as you have described, who was present at the creation of the world, who governed the nation of Israel, and transacted the affairs of the church for four thousand years, should lose all its vast treasures of ideas, and its extensive faculties, and become ignorant as a human infant, and grow up by degrees to know- ledge and wisdom ? Yet this is asserted concerning Christ in his childhood, Luke ii. 52. Jesus increased in wisdom and stature. Answer. If such a sentiment as this can be fairly accounted for according to reason and scripture, then the objectors must allow that it adds a most astonishing lustre to the humility, con- descension, self-denial and love of our blessedLord. Now let us see whether it may not be explained according to the common laws of union between a human soul and body. Amongst these laws of this union, which are appointed by God our Creator, it is evident from manifold experience' that this is one viz. f° That though the soul may have in itself ever so rich ideas, or powers ever so glorious and extensive, yet while it is united to animal nature in this manner, it can exert them to no farther than the organs of the animal will admit, or than those organs are fit to assist in such operations." There have been many instances wherein persons of eminence and skill in arts or sciences, have had the brain, with all the traces and images which were impressed upon it, so confounded by some disease, that theyhave lost almost all their ideas, 'and all their skill ; they have forgot even their native language, and they knew not their own names Sometimes by slow degrees they have recovered their ideas and words again, and perhaps in some years have arrived at their former excellencies ; the brain has recovered its old traces and images again, and the soul has recognized them with pleasure, and that in much less time than it was first em- ployed in acquiring them.* * This may be represented by an easy similitude. Suppose an organist of exquisite skill in music should have all the pipes of his instrument filled with mud, he could neither excite with his hand, nor receive with his ear, any of those rich varieties of sound which belong to the organ, until by degrees the bel- lows and pipes were cleansed ; and thus by degrees he would form and hear broken pieces of tunes, until the muddy obstacle being quite removed, the grateful har- mony will be recovered, and the former skill of theorganist appear.
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