But we'll ascend a little higher, it is a substance created,] not traduced, (as some would have it.) I must confess the opinion was not a little strong, that as our bodies, so our souls were both propagated from our parents. Tertullian, 1and the Fathers of the West (as Jerome witnesseth) were most on that side: the reason of this opinion was because of original sin, which defileth the soul, as well as the body of each man sprung from Adam, they could see no means how both were corrupted, except withal the soul were propagated. But are not our souls as the Angels? and therefore if our souls, then may the Angels beget one another; nay if this were true, what soul were generated, but another were corrupted: for the rule is infallible, There can be no generation without a transmutation, and so would every soul be subject to corruption. Concerning that objection of original sin (if the soul were not traduced from the loins of Adam, 2how then should that sin be imputed to our souls?) I must confess the question is intricate, we should rather believe it, then enquire of it, and we may better enquire of it then understand it, and yet more easily understand it, then express it. But so well as we can, we shall untie the knot. First then, we say 'tis a fallacy to divide soul and body, for not the soul without the body, nor the body without the soul, but the whole man sinned in Adam, as the whole man is begot of Adam; so soon therefore as the soul is conjoined to the body, ⟨p. 64⟩and of the soul and body is constituted whole man, that man being now made a member of Adam, is said to sin with him, and to derive that sin from him. But for a further satisfaction, although the soul depend on God according to its substance, yet is it created in that body which is produced of the parents: thus in some sort we may say that the soul is begotten, (non quoad essentiam, sed quoad [Greek or Hebrew],) God only gives the essence, but to exist comes from the parents.3 What is the soul but a form of the body? and of what body, but of that which is organical, as being apt for the soul? This aptness then whereby it is prepared for the form, being received from the parents, we may say of the soul, that thus it is generated, as not beginning to subsist before the body is prepared. This is true in some sort, though not properly.
But wee'll ascend a little higher, it is a substance created,] not traduced, (as some would have it.) I must confess the opinion was not a little strong, that as our bodies, so our souls were both propagated from our parents. Tertullian, 1and the Fathers of the West (as Ierome witnesseth) were most on that side: the reason of this opinion was because of originall sin, which defileth the soul, as well as the body of each man sprung from Adam, they could see no means how both were corrupted, except withall the soul were propagated. But are not our souls as the Angells? and therefore if our souls, then may the Angels beget one another; nay if this were true, what soul were generated, but another were corrupted: for the rule is infallible, There can be no generation without a transmutation, and so would every soul be subject to corruption. Concerning that objection of originall sin (if the soul were not traduced from the loyns of Adam, 2how then should that sin be imputed to our souls?) I must confess the question is intricate, we should rather believe it, then enquire of it, and we may better enquire of it then understand it, and yet more easily understand it, then expresse it. But so well as we can, we shall untie the knot. First then, we say 'tis a fallacy to divide soul and body, for not the soul without the body, nor the body without the soul, but the whole man sinn'd in Adam, as the whole man is begot of Adam; so soon therefore as the soul is conjoyn'd to the body, ⟨p. 64⟩and of the soul and body is constituted whole man, that man being now made a member of Adam, is said to sin with him, and to derive that sin from him. But for a further satisfaction, although the soul depend on God according to its substance, yet is it created in that body which is produced of the parents: thus in some sort we may say that the soul is begotten, (non quoad essentiam, sed quoad 〈non-Latin alphabet〉,) God onely gives the essence, but to exist comes from the parents.3 What is the soul but a form of the body? and of what body, but of that which is organicall, as being apt for the soul? This aptness then whereby it is prepared for the form, being received from the parents, we may say of the soul, that thus it is generated, as not beginning to subsist before the body is prepared. This is true in some sort, though not properly.
- 1In epist. ad Marcellin.
- 2Magis credi debet quam quaeri, & quaeri facilius quam intelligi, & melius intelligitur quam explicatur. Whitak. l. 1. de peccat origin. c. 8. Fallacia divisionis.
- 3Arist. de anima 2. l. c. 1.
