Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…

I shall know whether all Souls came from Adam's one substantiality, and whether there be more substance in the All than in that One, and whether one substance cause more by generation? Or whether it be so as to the Souls of Brutes; or whether any Anima communis inform many Organical Bodies of the Brutes, as the Sun lighteth many Candles ⟨p. 161⟩which are individuate by matter to which (as parts of one) they variously are contracted, and on which they operate, and whether they were individuate in pre-existence, or shall be individuate after separation? I shall know how far the semen in generation is animated: And how the animated semina of two make one? And if animated, what becomes of the anima seminis perditi? and of an Abortive? And whether the Body be animated as Vegetative or Sensitive before the entrance of the rational Soul? Or rather the same Soul which in its Faculty is Rational being one with the Sensitive and Vegetative, be the constitutive form of the first animated Body, and the Fabricator of its own domicilium? I shall know how far the Soul is receptive? And what the Causa finalis doth to it? And what each Object is to the Constitution or production of the act? Yea and what an Act is, and what a Habit? And how a Soul acting or habited differeth from itself not acting or habited? And how its acts are many and yet but One: Or its Faculties at least: Many other such difficulties will all be solved; which now Philosophers contend about in the dark, and pass but under doubtful conjectures? Or at least are known to very few.

I shall know whether all Souls came from Adam's one substantiality, and whether there be more substance in the All than in that One, and whether one substance cause more by generation? Or whether it be so as to the Souls of Bruits; or whether any Anima communis inform many Organical Bodies of the Bruits, as the Sun lighteth many Candles ⟨p. 161⟩which are individuate by matter to which (as parts of one) they variously are contracted, and on which they operate, and whether they were individuate in pre-existence, or shall be individuate after separation? I shall know how far the semen in generation is animated: And how the animated semina of two make one? And if animated, what becomes of the anima seminis perditi? and of an Abortive? And whether the Body be animated as Vegetative or Sensitive before the entrance of the rational Soul? Or rather the same Soul which in its Faculty is Rational being one with the Sensitive and Vegetative, be the constitutive form of the first animated Body, and the Fabricator of its own domicilium? I shall know how far the Soul is receptive? And what the Causa finalis doth to it? And what each Object is to the Constitution or production of the act? Yea and what an Act is, and what a Habit? And how a Soul acting or habited differeth from itself not acting or habited? And how its acts are many and yet but One: Or its Faculties at least: Many other such difficulties will all be solved; which now Philosophers contend about in the dark, and pass but under doubtful conjectures? Or at least are known to very few.