A26976:373
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.
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.
8. But when the matter of Fact is evident, and we see by the actions, that there is a difference between things moved by God, some having a created Life and mind, and some none, what needs then any further proof?
§. 31. But if you hold, That we have now distinct Spirits, which are individual ⟨p. 56⟩Substances, why should you fear the loss of our individuation, any more than our annihilation, or specific alteration? If God made as many substantial individual Souls, as men, is there any thing in Nature or Scripture, which threateneth the loss of Individuation? I have showed you, and shall further show you enough against it.
§. 31. But if you hold, That we have now distinct Spirits, which are individual ⟨p. 56⟩Substances, why should you fear the loss of our individuation, any more than our annihilation, or specifick alteration? If God made as many substantial individual Souls, as men, is there any thing in Nature or Scripture, which thteatneth the loss of Individuation? I have shewed you, and shall further shew you enough against it.