1. In the privation of that original rectitude which ought to be in us.
2. In that habitual concupiscence which carrieth nature to inor- dinate motions.
This privation and inordinate inclination, make up that original corruption, the rise whereof we are searching for : And to bring us as near as we can come, without a daring intrusion into unrevealed secrets, our solid divines proceed by these steps, in answering this objection.
(1.) If it be demanded how it comes to pass that an infant be- comes guilty of Adam's sin ; The answer is, because he is a child of Adam by natural generation.
(2.) But why is he deprived of that original rectitude in which Adam was created ? They answer, because Adam lost it by his sin,
* The soul (say some) in the moment of its creation and infusion by God, being united with the body by the plastic and formative virtue of the parental seed : the parent may be truly said to generate the man, though he do not produce the form : Because proper generation consists in the union, and not in the production of parts So that original sin is not propagated from body to body, nor yet from soul to soul but from man to man.
Q%12 A TliEATISE OF IBM SOUL OF MAK.
and therefore could not transmit what he had lost to his poste-
(;3.) But how comes he to be inclined to that which is evil ?
Their answer is, because he wants that original rectitude: For
whosoever wants original rectitude, naturally inclines to that which
is evil. And so the propension of nature to that which is evil, seems
to be by way of concomitancy with the defect or want of original
And thus I have given some account of the nature and original of the soul of man : though alas ! my dim eyes see but little of its excellency and glory. Yet, by what hath been said, it appears the master-piece o? all God's work of creation, in this lower world.
But because I suspect the description I have given of it will be obscure and cloudy to vulgar readers, of a plain and low capacity, by reason of divers philosophical terms which T have been forced to make use of; and reckoning myself a debtor to the weak and un- learned, as well as others, I will endeavour to strip this description of the soul, for their sakes, out of those artificial terms which darken it to them, and present it once more in the most plain and intelligible epitome I am capable to give it in ; that so the weaker understanding may be able to form a true notion of the nature and original of the soul, in this manner.
The soul of mine is a true and real being ; not a fancy, conceit, a very nothing. It hath a proper and true being in itself, whether I conceit it or not. Nor indeed can I conceive of it, but by it. It is not such a thing as whiteness is in snow, a mere accident, which depends upon the snow in which it is for the being it hath, and must perish as soon as the snow is dissolved : My soul doth not so much depend upon my body, or any other fellow-creature for its being ; but is as truly a substance as my body is, though not of so gross and material a kind and nature. My soul can, and will sub- sist and remain what it is, when my body is separated from it ; but my body cannot subsist and remain what it now is, when my soul is separated from it : So that I find my soul to be the most substantial and noble part of me ; it is not my body, but my soul which makes me a man. And if this depart, all the rest of me is but a dead log, a lump of inanimate clay, a heap of vile dust and corruption. From this independent substance it hath in itself, and the dependence its properties and affections have upon it, I truly apprehend and call it a substance.
But yet, when I call it a substance, I must not conceive of it as a gross material, palpable substance, such as my body is, which I can see and feel : No, there are spiritual substances, as well as gross, visible, material substances. An angel is a spiritual substance, a real
A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MA\*. 523
creature, and yet imperceptible by my sight or touch, such a sub- stance is my soul. Spiritual substances are as real, and much more excellent than bodily substances are. I can neither see, hear, nor feel it, but I both see, hear, and feel by it.
My soul is also a vital substance. It is a principle of life to my body : It hath a life in itself, and quickens my body therewith. My soul is the spring of all the actions and motions of life which I perform. It hath been an error taken in from my childhood, that sense is performed in the outward organ, or members of my body ; as touching in the hand, seeing in the eye, hearing in the ear, &c. in them, I say, and not only by them, as if nothing were required to make sense, but an object and an organ. No, no, it is not my eye that seeth, nor my ear that heareth, nor my hand that toucheth, but my soul, in and by them, performs all this. Let but an apoplex hinder the operations of my soul in the brain, and of how little use are my eyes, ears, hands, or feet to me ? My life is originally in my soul, and secondarily by way of communication in my body. So that I find my soul to be a vital, as well as a spiritual substance.
And being both a vital and spiritual substance, I must needs con- clude it to be an immortal substance. For in such a pure, spiritual nature as my soul is, there can be found no seeds or principles of death. Where there is no composition, there will be no dissolu- tion. My body indeed having so many jarring humours, mixed elements, and contrary qualities in it, must needs fall and die at last : but my soul was formed for immortality, by the simplicity and spi- rituality of its nature. No sword can pierce it from without, nor opposition can destroy it from within ; man cannot, and God will not.
And being an immortal spirit, fitted and framed to live for ever, I find that God hath, answerably, endued and furnished it with an understanding, zcill, and affections, whereby it is capable of being wrought upon by the Spirit in the way of grace and sanctification in this world in order to the enjoyment of God, its chief happiness in the world to come.
By this its understanding, I am distinguished from, and advanced above all other creatures in this world. I can apprehend, distin- guish, and judge of all other intelligible beings. By my under- standing I discern truth from falsehood, good from evil ; it shews me what is fit for me to druse, and what to refuse.
To this faculty or power of understanding, my thoughts and con- science do belong; the former to my speculative, the latter to my practical understanding. My thoughts are all formed in my mind or understanding in innumerable multitudes and variety. By it I can think of things present, or absent ; visible, or invisible ; of God, or myself; of this world, or the world to come.
524 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAK.