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

§ 23. We deny not but that God is the continued ⟨p. 14⟩first cause of all Being whatsoever; and that the branches and fruit depend not as effects so much on the causality of the Stock and Roots, as the creature doth on God; and that it is an impious conceit to think that the World, or any part of it, is a Being independent, and separated totally from God, or subsisting without his continued causation. But cannot God cause as a Creator, by making that which is not himself? This yieldeth the self-deceiver no other honour, nor happiness, but what equally belongeth to a Devil, to a Fly or Worm, to a Dunghill, or to the worst & miserablest man!

§ 24. II. As Man's Soul is a SUBSTANCE, so is it a Substance differenced formally from all inferior Substances, by an Innate (indeed Essential) Power, Virtue, or Faculty of Vital-Action, Intellection, and Free-will: For we find all these Acts performed by it, as Motion, Light and Heat are by the Fire or Sun. And if any should think that these Actions are like those of a Musician, compounded of the Agents (principal and organical several) parts, could he prove it, no more would follow, but that the lower powers (the Sensitive or Spirits) are to the higher as a Passive Organ, receiving its operations; and that the Intellectual Soul hath the power of causing Intellection and Volition by its Action on the inferior parts, as a man can cause such motions of his Lute, as shall be melody (not to it, but) to himself: And consequently, that as Music is but a lower operation of man (whose proper acts of Intellection and Volition are above it) so Intellection and Volition in the Body are not the noblest Acts of the Soul, but it performeth them by an Eminent Power, which can do greater things. And if this could be proved, what would it tend to the unbelievers ends, or to the disadvantage of our hopes and comforts?

§ 24. II. As Man's Soul is a SUBSTANCE, so is it a Substance differenced formally from all inferiour Substances, by an Innate (indeed Essential) Power, Virtue, or Faculty of Vital-Action, Intellection, and Free-will: For we find all these Acts performed by it, as Motion, Light and Heat are by the Fire or Sun. And if any should think that these Actions are like those of a Musician, compounded of the Agents (principal and organical several) parts, could he prove it, no more would follow, but that the lower powers (the Sensitive or Spirits) are to the higher as a Passive Organ, receiving its operations; and that the Intellectual Soul hath the power of causing Intellection and Volition by its Action on the inferiour parts, as a man can cause such motions of his Lute, as shall be melody (not to it, but) to himself: And consequently, that as Musick is but a lower operation of man (whose proper acts of Intellection and Volition are above it) so Intellection and Volition in the Body are not the noblest Acts of the Soul, but it performeth them by an Eminent Power, which can do greater things. And if this could be proved, what would it tend to the unbelievers ends, or to the disadvantage of our hopes and comforts?