A26976:176
Of the immortality of mans soul, and the nature of it and other spirits.…
Of the immortality of mans soul, and the nature of it and other spirits. Two discourses, one in a letter to an unknown doubter, the other in a reply to Dr. Henry Moore's Animadversions on a private letter to him, which he published in his second edition of Mr. Joseph Glanvil's Sadducismus triumphatus, or, History of apparitions by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for B. Simons, 1682
OF THE NATURE OF SPIRITS: › Section 22-27: Ad Sect. 22. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§ 5. Ad Sect. 26. You say against the Fathers, [When we enquire into the distinct Nature of things we must bid adieu to Metaphors.] Ans. When I am ignorant of my own Ignorance, I will hear you, I am far from dreaming that I have one formal ⟨p. 75⟩Conception of God, but only Analogical: Only that of Ens is disputed between the Thomists and Scotists, whether it be Univocal de Deo & Creaturis. And here Analogical is but Metaphorical: And yet it is not nothing to see as in a Glass & enigmatically. And when I can perceive that your two hard words do not only signify more than negatively and modally, or qualitatively, but also give us an Idea of a Spirit which hath nothing Metaphorical, but all formal, I shall magnify them more than I do.
§ 5. Ad Sect. 26. You say against the Fathers, [When we enquire into the distinct Nature of things we must bid adieu to Metaphors.] Ans. When I am ignorant of my own Ignorance, I will hear you, I am far from dreaming that I have one formal ⟨p. 75⟩Conception of God, but only Analogical: Only that of Ens is disputed between the Thomists and Scotists, whether it be Univocal de Deo & Creaturis. And here Analogical is but Metaphorical: And yet it is not nothing to see as in a Glass & enigmatically. And when I can perceive that your two hard words do not only signifie more than negatively and modally, or qualitatively, but also give us an Idea of a Spirit which hath nothing Metaphorical, but all formal, I shall magnifie them more than I do.
§ 6. You say we must search out the adequate definition.] Ans. That [adequate] is a word too big for me: I dare say that you have not an adequate knowledge of any thing in the World; not of one Fly or Flea or Pile of Grass: And can you make adequate Definitions of Angels and all Spirits? Even who before twice told us that we know not the intimate essence of things, but the Attributes? Indeed I perceive your Attributes are such as will not notify Essences. I ask my own experience whether Indiscerptible is a word that giveth any Idea of the Essence, save negative (that it cannot be torn into pieces) and modal? and I find no other that it maketh on my Mind.