Considerations of the existence of God and of the immortality of the soul, with…

2. 'Tis objected that the Soul in its superior operations depends on the convenient temper of the Body. The thoughts are ⟨p. 164⟩clear and orderly when the Brain is composed. On the contrary when the predominancy of any humour distempers it, the Mind feels its infirmities. And from hence it seems to be of a corporeal nature, depending on the Body in its being, as in its working.

2. 'Tis objected that the Soul in its superiour operations depends on the convenient temper of the Body. The thoughts are ⟨p. 164⟩clear and orderly when the Brain is compos'd. On the contrary when the predominancy of any humour distempers it, the Mind feels its infirmities. And from hence it seems to be of a corporeal nature, depending on the Body in its being, as in its working.

But this, if duly considered, will raise no just prejudice against its Spiritual Immortal Nature. For,

But this, if duly consider'd, will raise no just prejudice against its Spiritual Immortal Nature. For,

1. The sympathy of things is no convincing Argument that they are of the same Nature. There may be so strict a union of Beings of different natures, that they must necessarily be subject to impressions from one another. Can any Reasons demonstrate that a Spiritual substance endowed with the powers of understanding and ⟨p. 165⟩will, cannot be united in a vital composition to a Body, as the Vegetative Soul is in Plants, and the Sensitive in Beasts? There is no implicit repugnance in this that proves it impossible. Now if such a complex Being were in Nature, how would that spiritual Soul act in that Body, that in its first union with it (excepting some universal Principles) is a rasa tabula, as a white Paper, without the notices of things written in it? Certainly in no other imaginable manner than as Man's Soul does now.