Another Reason may be framed after the same manner, as was that to prove the Spirituality of the Soul from the manner of its operation. And it is grounded on those two ordinary Axioms in Philosophy, That every thing is received according to the quality of the Receiver, and that every thing hath the same manner of •ssence, as it hath of operation. Now the Soul of Man can easily receive impressions and conceits of immortality, and discourse thereupon: therefore also it is in its own Essence and nature immortal. We see even between things merely corporeal, as the Object and the sensitive Organ, how small a disproportion works incapacity. Much more must it be found in so great a difference as would be between immortality of Objects and corruption of the Soul that worketh on them. We cannot picture an Angel or Spirit, nor make any immaterial stamp in a piece of wax, since a corporeal substance is capable of none but corporeal impressions. And therefore we see that even amongst Bodies, the more pure and subtle they are, the more are they exempted from the perception of the quickest and most spiritual sense, the sight. Now the mind of man in Understanding, is but as wax to the seal, or as a Table and Picture to an Object which it represents: which ⟨p. 418⟩is the ground of that Paradox in Aristotle, that in understanding the Soul is (as it were) made the Object that is understood. Because, as the Wax, after it is stamped, is in some sort the very Seal it self that stamped it, namely Representative, by way of Image and resemblance; so the Soul, in receiving the species of any Object, is made the picture and image of the thing it self. Now the understanding, being able to apprehend immortality (yea indeed apprehending every corporeal substance, as if it were immortal, I mean by purging it from all gross material and corruptible qualities) must therefore needs of it self be of an immortal Nature. And from the latter of those two Principles, which I spake of, namely, that the quality of the Being may be gathered from the Nature of the Operation, Aristotle infers the separability and independence of the understanding on the Body, in the third de Animâ afore-named:
Another Reason may be framed after the same manner, as was that to prove the Spirituality of the Soule from the manner of its operation. And it is grounded on those two ordinary Axiomes in Philosophy, That every thing is received according to the quality of the Receiver, and that every thing hath the same manner of •ssence, as it hath of operation. Now the Soule of Man can easily receive impressions and conceits of immortality, and discourse thereupon: therefore also it is in its owne Essence and nature immortall. Wee see even betweene things meerely corporeall, as the Object and the sensitive Organ, how small a disproportion works incapacity. Much more must it be found in so great a difference as would be betweene immortality of Objects and corruption of the Soule that worketh on them. We cannot picture an Angel or Spirit, nor make any im•ateriall stamp in a piece of wax, since a corporeall substance is capable of none but corporeall impressions. And therefore wee see that even amongst Bodies, the more pure and subtile they are, the more are they exempted from the perception of the quickest and most spirituall sense, the sight. Now the mind of man in Understanding, is but as wax to the seale, or as a Table and Picture to an Object which it represents: which ⟨p. 418⟩is the ground of that Paradox in Aristotle, that in understanding the Soule is (as it were) made the Object that is understood. Because, as the Wax, after it is stamped, is in some sort the very Seale it selfe that stamp'd it, namely Representative, by way of Image and resemblance; so the Soule, in receiving the species of any Object, is made the picture and image of the thing it selfe. Now the understanding, being able to apprehend immortality (yea indeed apprehending every corporeall substance, as if it were immortall, I meane by purging it from all grosse materiall and corruptible qualities) must therefore needs of it selfe be of an immortall Nature. And from the latter of those two Principles, which I spake of, namely, that the quality of the Being may be gathered from the Nature of the Operation, Aristotle inferres the separability and independance of the understanding on the Body, in the third de Animâ afore-named:
