1. You perceive that you see, feel, understand, will and execute. 2. You may know, as is oft said, that therefore you have an active power to do these. 3. You may thence know, that it is a substance which hath that power. Nothing can do nothing. 4. You may perceive, that it is not the terrene substance, but an invisible substance, actuating the body. 5. You may know, that there is no probability, that so noble a substance should be annihilated. 6. Or that a pure and simple substance should be dissolved by the separation of parts (or if that were, every part would be a spirit still). 7. You have no cause to suspect, that this substance should lose those powers or faculties which are its essential form, and be turned into some other species, or thing. 8. And you have as little cause to suspect, that an essential vital intellective power, will not be active, when active inclination is its Essence. 9. You have no cause to suspect, that it will want Objects to action in a World of such variety of Objects. 10. And you have as little cause to ⟨p. 68⟩suspect, that it will be unactive, for want of Organs, when God hath made its Essence active; and either can make new Organs; or that which can act on matter, can act without, or on other matter. He that can play on a Lute, can do somewhat as good, if that be broken. 11. And experience might satisfy you, that several men have several souls, by the several and contrary Operations. 12. And you have no reason to suspect, that God will turn many, from being many▪ into one; or that unity should be any of their loss. All this, Reason tells you, beginning at your own experience, as I have (and elsewhere more fully) opened.
1. You perceive that you see, feel, understand, will and execute. 2. You may know, as is oft said, that therefore you have an active power to do these. 3. You may thence know, that it is a substance which hath that power. Nothing can do nothing. 4. You may perceive, that it is not the terrene substance, but an invisible substance, actuating the body. 5. You may know, that there is no probability, that so noble a substance should be annihilated. 6. Or that a pure and simple substance should be dissolved by the separation of parts (or if that were, every part would be a spirit still). 7. You have no cause to suspect, that this substance should lose those powers or faculties which are its essential form, and be turned into some other species, or thing. 8. And you have as little cause to suspect, that an essential vital intellective power, will not be active, when active inclination is its Essence. 9. You have no cause to suspect, that it will want Objects to action in a World of such variety of Objects. 10. And you have as little cause to ⟨p. 68⟩suspect, that it will be unactive, for want of Organs, when God hath made its Essence active; and either can make new Organs; or that which can act on matter, can act without, or on other matter. He that can play on a Lute, can do somewhat as good, if that be broken. 11. And experience might satisfie you, that several men have several souls, by the several and contrary Operations. 12. And you have no reason to suspect, that God will turn many, from being many▪ into one; or that unity should be any of their loss. All this, Reason tells you, beginning at your own experience, as I have (and elsewhere more fully) opened.
