A26976:371
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
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. Do you think, that passive matter doth as much manifest Gods Perfection, and honour the Efficient, as vital and Intellectual ⟨p. 55⟩Spirits? If it be a far nobler Work for God to make a free, vital, mental Spirit, to act under him freely, mentally, and vitally, than to make mere atoms, why should you think that God will not do it?
5. Do you think, that passive matter doth as much manifest Gods Perfection, and honour the Efficient, as vital and Intellectual ⟨p. 55⟩Spirits? If it be a far nobler Work for God to make a free, vital, mental Spirit, to act under him freely, mentally, and vitally, than to make meer atomes, why should you think that God will not do it?
6. And do you not dishonour, or blaspheme the prime Cause, by such dishonouring of his Work, as to say, he never made any thing more noble than Atoms, and Compositions of them.
6. And do you not dishonour, or blaspheme the prime Cause, by such dishonouring of his Work, as to say, he never made any thing more noble than Atomes, and Compositions of them.
7. Is there not in the Creature a communicative disposition to cause their like? Animals generate their like: Fire kindleth fire: Wise men would make others wise: God is essential infinite Life, Wisdom and Love: and can he, or would he make nothing liker to himself than dead Atoms? Yea, you feign him to make nothing but by Composition, while you say, That matter it self is eternal.
7. Is there not in the Creature a communicative disposition to cause their like? Animals generate their like: Fire kindleth fire: Wise men would make others wise: God is essential infinite Life, Wisdom and Love: and can he, or would he make nothing liker to himself than dead Atomes? Yea, you feign him to make nothing but by Composition, while you say, That matter it self is eternal.