A26976:58
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.
I have oft professed that I am ignorant whether Ignis and Vegetative Spirit be all one (to which I most incline) or whether ⟨p. 21⟩Ignis be an Active Nature, made to be the Instrument by which the three Spiritual Natures, Vegetative, Sensitive and Mental work on the three Passive Natures: And though I was wont to think, that what I knew not my self, all men of great Learning knew, specially such as you, in the points which you have with singular industry studied; yet now experience hath banished that modest Error, and convinced me that other men must be content with an humble Ignoramus as well as I.
I have oft professed that I am ignorant whether Ignis and Vegetative Spirit be all one (to which I most incline) or whether ⟨p. 21⟩Ignis be an Active Nature, made to be the Instrument by which the three Spiritual Natures, Vegetative, Sensitive and Mental work on the three Passive Natures: And though I was wont to think, that what I knew not my self, all men of great Learning knew, specially such as you, in the points which you have with singular industry studied; yet now experience hath banished that modest Errour, and convinced me that other men must be content with an humble Ignoramus as well as I.
§ 4. And here I must note, that § 18. p. 127. where you purposely define a Spirit, you agree with me: Your definition is [A Spirit is an Immaterial Substance intrinsically endued with Life, and the Faculty of Motion.] Forgive me for thinking that you are not strict enough in your terms for a definition; but plainly you seem to mean the same as I do. You should, I think, have mentioned a Spirit as a simple Substance differing from a mixed; and have said, not only [intrinsically] endued, for so is every Animal who is Body as well as Spirit, but also endued with it as its simple Formal Essence: And whether all Faculty of Motion (e. g. Gravitation) be Life, I am in doubt. But here ⟨p. 22⟩