whereof it was first made so the soule returnes to God from whom it first came but that was immediately from Adam so therefore is this The next proofe is taken from the words of God by the Prophet Isay 5. Isai 57.16 I will not ever contend with man for the spirit will faile before me and the soules which I have made which some doe thus expound If I should straightly marke what is done amisse and severely punish your sinnes then not onely the bodies which yee have received from your parents but even the soules which I have immediately created and infused into your bodies would also perish but who seeth not that there is more in the exposition than in the Text. If indeed this were a truth manifest in the Scripture it might happily be so understood but this being the thing we question ought first to be proved which cannot be from this place for the word translated soule signifieth breath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and somtimes any creature that hath breath and so the meaning is those whom he made to live and breath would faile and dye which the soule cannot doe and therefore it cannot he meant of that Neither would it follow that because he made them therefore he made them immediately of nothing and so the question remaineth still unanswered Againe 6. Ezek 18.4 God saith by the Prophet Ezekiel Behold all soules are mine c. But is little to the purpose for here by soule is meant the whole person for so it followeth in the next words The soule that sinneth shall dye What shall the soule only be punished and not the whole person rather Besides if every soule be created of nothing because it is Gods then so should the body be for that also is his There is yet another place alledged out of the old Testament 7. Zach. 12.1 to prove this which as it seemes to me is clearly against it namely that of the Prophet Zachary where it is said Thus saith the Lord which stretcheth forth the heavens and layeth the foundations of the earth and formeth the spirit of man within him if it be formed by the Lord then not by man say some But that followes not for it may be by both And therfore Augustine well answereth it is not denyed but God formeth every mans soule but the question is whereof whether of the substance of the parents soules or of nothing But it is objected that the scope of the place is to comfort the Church by setting forth the omnipotent power of God Be it so if then we admit an immediate act of Gods power herein which I graunt the scope of the place is answered and yet the soule not immediately created Againe it is manifest the two former sentences have relation to the first creation for God doth not now either stretch forth the heavens or lay the foundation of the earth and therefore why should not the latter also seeing it is apparent he created the first soule immediately of nothing but wee doe not reade that he created ever any other so since Lastly it is to be noted that the text saith not the Lord createth but the Lord formeth the spirit of man c. and where did ever forming signifie creating of nothing de hoc postea To this purpose 8. Ioh. 5.15 though to small purpose some doe also produce that saying of our Saviour My Father worketh hitherto and I worke as if by this working he meant the daily creating of soules but his meaning was not in the creatioÌ„ of new things but in the preservation of the old and not so much in the preservatioÌ„ of nature as in the propagation of grace For indeed it is not the government of the world but the regiment of the Church that our Saviour speaks of in that place not ordinary operations in the course of nature but miraculous workes in the promulgation of the Gospel as the words both before and after doe manifest And though it be true that God and Christ too being essentially one doe cause all these things that are done naturally for he is the Author of Nature yet he is not properly said to worke that which nature worketh because he is therefore said to rest because he hath committed these things unto nature Some also would seeme to wring it out of the words of the Poet Aratus 9. Acts 17.28 cited by St. Paul Wee are the off-spring of God For such weak proofes as these must serve where better is wanting which poverty does indeede more weaken and discredit the case than any way confirme the same For his meaning is onely that wee are of a divine nature by reason of that spirituall and immortall soule that is in us but how wo come by it whether by creation or propagation neither did Paul here purpose to speake nor the Poet ever dispute But most of all 10. Heb. 12 9 and most worthily of all is that of the Apostle to the Hebrewes urged and indeed almost all the rest have no inference at all to the purpose and this no necessitie nor as we shall see no just probabilitie the wards are these If wee â—ad Fathers four bodies that corrected us and wee gave them reverence shall wee not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live Whence they collect that earthly parents propagate the body onely and God creates the soule of every man immediately But for Answer Answer first of all Beza whose judgement is i. e. is to be reverenced rendreth the sense of this place thus If all men yeeld this right to naturall parents to whom next to God we owe this life that they may rightfully correct their children shall we not be much more subject to our heavenly Father who is the Author of our spirituall and everlasting life And indeed what els can be the meaning For if in the next place we consider the scope it is to perswade to the patient suffering of afflictions and not to teach the originall of the soule Againe if wee examine the words we shall finde that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flesh for so it should be translated and not bodyes cannot be meant of the body without the soule for parents doe not correct a carkasse Secondly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of spirits is not to be understood of a soule without a body for God is the father of mens bodies too and not of the soule alone and lastly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chasticers as the parents are called signifies such a chastisement as when instruction is joyned with correction but there can be no such correction of the body without a soule a castigation being of an understanding man and not of a body onely and as the word so the Antithesis makes it apparant that the Apostle in this place makes mention of a twofold castigation the one carnall the other spirituall so that not soule and body
of the soules of the parents or of his own essence they being neither bodies nor Angels but the latter is impossible and therefore it must needs be the former Againe the Prophet saith not without him as if it were first made and then infused but within him So that in saying the Lord formeth the spirit of man within him he doth evidently declare 1. Of matter that there is some matter within man whereof the Lord formeth the soule than which what in so few words can so fitly and fully expresse the manner of the soules propagation being formed in conception of the spirituall matter of the parents soules by the power and vertue of the seede in generation And yet not meerely by the power of nature for in the last place it is to be observed that he saith the Lord formeth it For he indeed is the externall efficient the nature of the soule being of that height that without an immediate act of his providence it cannot be produced Whence it is that in the production of the soule though it be not a creation it is as neere to a creation as can be and though it be by propagation yet it is not meerly by propagation but some way above it and so it is in a manner a kinde of meane betweene creation and propagation For according to these words of the Prophet the soule is formed of the spirituall matter of the parents soules within the conceived fruit not without the omnipotent power of God So that by all these testimonies it appeareth I thinke sufficiently that this doctrine went currant in the time of Adam Abraham Moses David and the Prophets and I beleeve never was once questioned in those first ages of the world CHAP. XIV Testimonies out of the new Testament proving the soules propagation THis doctrine is no lesse if not much more clearely revealed and fully confirmed in the new Testament also 1. S. Paul For first the Apostle Saint Paul saith as plainly as can be that all men in their whole persons both were in Adam and sinned in him Death saith he passed by one man upon all men in whom all sinned Where he maketh no such division of soule and body one from one place and another from another as men have now invented but he saith plainly the whole man Rom. 5.12 yea all men who consist of soules I am sure as well as bodyes were in Adam yea and sinned in him too which is absurd to say and impossible to be without soules What would we yea what can we have more plainly spoken Is it not then high presumption to say no worse of it for men thus to sever what God hath joyned together without apparent warrant from his word how much more then in this for which it is confessed there is no warrant there at all And yet least any man should be mistaken as thinking the whole man may well enough be said to be in Adam though not in other of our parents by I know not what imaginary imputation because he was the stocke of all mankinde or rather of the bodyes of all mankinde the holy Ghost I say foreseeing our aptnesse to erre to take away all exception saith the very same concerning other Fathers also The Author to the Heb. Heb. 7.1 as that Levi together with all his sonnes was yet in the loynes of his Father grandfather yea and great grand-father Abraham when Melchisedeck men him and which is more paid tithes in him So that by the testimony of the Apostle Vâ—rs â— Abrakam is to be reckoned in the number of those that did propagate the whole man soule and body together and for that cause paid tithes for his posteritie while they were yet in his loynes And if Isaaâ— Jacob and the whole tribe of Levi were once in the loynes of Abraham we need not doubt but we were all in like manner once wholly in Adam and consequently are now wholly propagated from him 2. The Angell Gabrell Againe that we may not deny it unlesse we will deny Christ and our owne salvation The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ as concerning his humanitie was the sonne of the virgin Mary and so of David his Father for so said the Angell Gabrell being sent unto her Luk 1.31 32. Thou shalt conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a sonne and againe the Lord shall give unto him the throne of his father David Neither is it sufficient to say his body came from them for the Apostle plainly affirmeth Rom. 1.3 that he was made of the seed of David according to the flesh Where flesh is figuratively put for his whole humanity both soule and body as themselves confesse Per syâ—ocdochâ—n Neither can it be denyed for it is there opposed to his Divinitie as the words immediately following doe manifestly declare and all Interpreters acknowledge Whence it necessarily followeth that the soul of our Saviour was the seede of David even the fruit of his loynes as well as his body 3. S. Peter Act. 2.30 as St. Peter witnesseth for since the holy Ghost affirmeth it why should we feare to do it yea why should we not feare to doe otherwise Is it not safer to follow such a guide than to run a way by our selves for which we have no warrant And seeing as the Apostle elsewhere affirmeth Heb. 4.15 He was made like unto us in all things except sinne why should wee make any doubt but it is so with us also as it was with him Especially considering the whole currant and full streame of the Scriptures run this way even from the beginning And not onely concerning him as where it is said Gen. 3.15 22.18 the Seede of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head and in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 5.10.11 as we heard before but also all other places speaking of his or our generation comprehends both soule and body under the name of seede 1 Chron. 1 2 3 c. Mat. 1. Luk. 2. Mat. 19.6 without any exception making the soule no lesse the seede of man than the body and the body no more than the soule and neither of them more or lesse propagation than the other and this throughout the whole Scripture without any the least word to the contrary And therefore I say againe let no man dare to seperate what God hath so joyned together 4. Our Saviour himselfe Lastly Unlesse we will make God the Author of sin and consequently deny God that made us we must confesse the truth of this doctrine proved from those words of our Saviour where speaking both of the naturall and the new birth of man he saith Ioh. 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Whence I reason thus If the soule were immediately created by God it should not be flesh that is corrupt and
sinfull but spirit that is pure and holy For whatsoever comes immediately from God he makes it pure good yea Gen. 1.3 all things very good But man from his very beginning is corrupt and sinfull because he is borne of flesh for saith our Saviour of the whole man that being borne of the flesh he is flesh Eph. 2.3 and therefore the whole man hath need of a second birth that he may be borne of the spirit Either therefore we must deny originall sin or else make God the Author of evill if the soule be immediately created by him But seeing it is manifest we are borne of flesh and are by nature children of wrath and it is impious blasphemy once to imagine that God is the Author of sin I feare not to conclude that the soule is not borne of the spirit I meane created by God but of the flesh that is propagated by man The conclusion of the divine Testimonies Thus then for divine testimonies we have produced no lesse than a whole Jury of witnesses first God himselfe then Adam Moses Job David Salomon Jeremy Zachary Peter Paul the Angell Gabrell and our Saviour Christ himselfe and if humane Testimonies would serve the turne it were not hard to shew more than twelve Legions of Saints learned and unlearned that have lived and dyed in this beliefe It being the received doctrine of the westerne Churches in Saint Hieromes time as was before declared but if these will not satisfie much lesse would those and therefore I omit them CHAPTER XV. The propagation proved from the Doctrine of Originall sinne Reasons proving the soules propagation BEsides the Testimonies of Scripture this mediate manner of the soules propagation may farther be demonstrated by reasons drawne from them whereof there are two onely most materiall and indeed necessary to be considered the one concerning the doctrine of originall sin and the other touching the incarnation of our Saviour which two being the maine difficulties in this question the one hindering the soules immediate creation the other the immediate propagatiō therof if these two can be cleared but especially if both doe agree together to confirme this doctrine there will remaine no more place of disputation about it and therefore I purpose to insist so much the longer in them both 1. Originall sinne And for the better clearing the first reason drawne from the Doctrine of Originall sin I will first make way to it by a generall description of these three things First Originall sinne Secondly Creation Thirdly Propagation and then apply it particularly to the proving of the point in hand l. From the nature of the sin descending 2. From the goodnesse of God in creating 3. From the course of nature in propagating Of all which I will speake as briefly and plainly as I can and according to that divine light which is revealed in the Scriptures First therfore it must be shewed out of the Scripture whether there be any originall sin or no and what it is For the first that the streame of mans being first poysoned in Adam the fountaine hath infected every man that comes into the world with sinne is manifest through the whole Scripture Proofes out of the Scripture By one man namely Adam sin entred into the world and death by n = a Rom. 5.12 sin in the day that he did eate of the forbidden fruit wee began to die the n = b Gen. 2 17 death yea n = c Rom. 5.14 even Infants that had not actually sinned yet were tainted with originall sin so that in Adam all dye n = d 1 Cor. 15.22 because in Adam all did sin n = e Rom. 5.12 Hence it was that by and by after all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely evill continually n = f Gen 6.5 yea evill even from his youth n = g Gen. 8.21 And now who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane n = h Iob 14.4 And what is man that he should be cleane n = i Iob 15.14 and he that is borne of a woman that he should be righteous sayth Job Hence even David confesseth of himselfe I was borne in iniquitie and in sin did my n = k Psal 51.5 mother conceive me and of others he saith the wicked are estranged from the wombe n = l Ps 58.3 they goe astray as soone as they are borne Esay also calleth man a transgressor from the wombe n = m Isa 48.8 and Jeremy saith the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked n = n Ier. 17.9 hence also it is that the Apostle saith Wee are by nature children of Wrath n = o Eph. 2.3 and by the offence of one the fault came upon all n = p Ro. 5.18 men to condemnation And to conclude our Saviour saith plainly that which is borne of the flesh is flesh n = q Ioh. 3.6 Ioh. 3.3.5 and except a man be regenerate and borne againe he cannot enter into nor see the Kingdome of God Reasons to prove it Besides Reason teacheth that like begets like as touching the substance and accidents proper to the kinde 1. according to the Rule Generatum sequitur naturam generantis Beasts bring forth beasts Serpents serpents and sinfull man a sinfull of-spring We cannot gather grapes of thornes Mat. 7.16 nor figges of thistles but an evill tree bringeth forth evill fruit and corrupt Adam sinfull men otherwise how could Infants justly be punished with death seeing death is the wages of sinne And why were Infants circumcized and women purified after child-birth under the law but to shew that all that commeth of mans seed is defiled with sin Againe cōmon experience sheweth the fruit of this bitter roote to bud forth in childrē even from their very cradles and that by inclination before they can learne by imitation The necessitie also of our regeneration proves it for if by our first birth we were not corrupt then should not the second be necessary to salvation Lastly the double grace which we receive from the second Adam Christ Jesus namely Justification Regeneration shews that there floweth a double evill from the first Adam namely the guilt and corruption of nature If we had not this double sinne we should not need this double remedy What originall sin is And now that we see we are thus infected let us inquire a little more narrowly into the nature of it It appeares by that which hath beene said already that all men are become sinfull through Adams sin having lost those now supernaturall gifts wherewith he and we with him were at first indued and in stead therof are all over infected with a venomous qualitie or inclination to all manner of evill causing ignorance and blindnesse in the minde stubbornesse and rebellion in the will disorder in the affections making the senses sensuall and beast-like all the members
THE TRVE ORIGINALL OF THE SOVLE Proving both by divine and naturall reason that the production of mans Soule is neither by creation nor propagation but a certain meane way between both Wherein the doctrine of originall sinne and the purity of Christs Incarnation is also more fully cleared then hath been heretofore published By H. W. B. D. PSAL. 139.14 I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marveilous are thy workes and that my soule knoweth right well LONDON Printed by T. Paine and M. Symmons 1641. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM FENIS Viscount Say and Sele Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries and one of his Majesties most Honourable privie Councell SO great is the unhappinesse of our times right Honourable wherein men have been rather led by affection than judgement that a bare ipse dixit hath with most men casily gained the authoritie of a truth Hereby able wits have been discouraged Arts have lost much lustre and the World more light This ensuing Treatise being a poore Orphant that it might be secured from such prejudice the Epidemical distemper of our times I thought best humbly to shrowd under your Honours protection to the intent also that they who will not receive a naked truth for it selfe may embrace it for the beauty it shall derive from so noble a Patron Vouchsafe then Right Honourable as to accept it together with this my humble and thankfull acknowledgement the best coine I have of all your favours toward my selfe stock whence I sprang so to pardon my boldnesse in interrupting you The God of the spirits of all flesh blesse your Lordship your honourable Lady hopefull of-spring in the fatnesse of the earth and dew of heaven and after lead you to that place where the spirits of just men made perfect take sanctuary which shall be the daily prayer of Your Honours in all humility to be commanded ELIAS PALMER To the Reader WHether this Treatise composed by Mr Henry Woolnor were to satisfie himselfe rather or the curious world I cannot say He was early arrested by sudden death that sent him hence a prisoner to his grave These papers containing his Essay of the Soules originall were brought to mine hands for their birth all the interest I shall challenge therein A discourse that may be as profitable as it is desireable though in itselfe very sublime and remote from the senses yet levelled to the plainest capacitie that none I hope will depart it unresolv'd To speake any thing of this subject definitively is as farre beyond mine intentions as my businesse but shall as best becomes me humbly submit to the censure of the learned whose counsels and encouragements gave not only being but lengthned out mine intentions toward the Pressè As for others whose indigested notions cannot admit of such a speculation nor can therfore be competent Judges in a matter beyond their sphaere let them be sober as God distributes to every one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—om 12. a measure of or in the faith Farewell ELIAS PALMER The Contents of the severall Chapters handled in this Treatise Chapter 1. THE Vse of this Treatise and how it is to be handled Chapter 2. Whether the originall of the soule may be perfectly knowne in this life Chapter 3. Diversitie of opinions about the nature and the originall of the soule Chapter 4. The state of the question propounded with the chiefe difficulties on both sides Chapter 5. The meane chosen and the question resolved Chapter 6. Scriptures to prove the soules immediate creation answered Chap. 7. Reasons from the Scripture for the soules immediate Creation answered Chap. 8. Whether propagation can stand with the spirituall nature of the Soule Chap. 9. Whether the losse of seede be the losse of soules Chap. 10. How one soule can proceede from two soules Chap. 11. How the soule can be propagable and yet indivisible Chap. 12. How the manner of conception can stand with the soules generation Chap. 13. Testimonies out of the old Testament proving the soules propagation Chap. 14. Testimonies out of the new Testament proving the soules propagation Chap. 15. The propagation proved from the Doctrine of Originall sin Chap. 16. How the nature of the sin descending confirmes the soules propagation Chap. 17. That a new created soule cannot justly be united to a sinfull body Chap. 18. That a soule newly created by God cannot be infected with Originall sinne Chap. 19. That Originall sinne cannot passe but by propagation Chap. 20. That Originall sin cannot be propagated unlesse the whole man be Chap. 21. That the whole man cannot be propagated unlesse the soule be Chap. 22. That the whole humanitie of Christ was taken from the Virgin Chap. 23. That Christs humanitie was never clensed from sinne Chap. 24. How Christs Incarnation was free from corruption Chap. 25. Naturall reasons proving the soules propagation Chap. 26. Reasons from the nature of generation Chap. 27. Reasons from the nature of the soule Chap. 28. Reasons from other considerations Chap. 29. An answer to some objections against this manner of propagation Chap. 30. The Conclusion recapitulating the summe of the premisses A TREATISE PHILOSOPHICALL Containing The true Originall of the SOULE Wherein is laboured to prove both by divine and naturall reason that the production of mans Soule is neither by Creation nor Propagation but a certaine meane way betweene both CHAPTER I. The use of this Question and how it is to be handled The difficulty and necessitie of this doctrine AMong the many intricate questions wherein the Church of God hath almost lost it selfe in this last age of the world there is none more difficult to know and more necessary to be knowne than that which concerneth the Soules originall The difficulty appeares in that so many worthies who have entered into this Labyrinth could never yet finde a cleare way out of it againe The necessitie in that there are so many necessary points in divinitie depending upon this which cannot be well cleared without it especially the doctrine of originall sinne and the immortality of the soule which are two of the maine principles of Christian Religion The possibilitie of knowing it But some perhaps will say who then shall undertake that which no man ever yet could performe It is true indeed I say so too and so in a manner say all And thus under a colour of modesty and humilitie wee are all hindered from seeking that which happily might otherwise be found I reply therefore on the coÌ„trary why should we not attempt it They are not alwayes the learnedst men that find out the greatest mysteries neither are they alwayes the greatest men by whom God bringeth the greatest things to passe Sure I am the promise is made to the godly Ioh. 7.17 not to the great it is Gods usuall course to produce the greatest effects by the most unlikely instruments that the power and praise may be of God 2 Cor. 4.7 and
of a part onely unlesse a woman may be a womā without a soule as some silly ones have foolishly imagined Fourthly Gen. 2.22 Zan. de operibus par 3. li. 1. c. 1 Gen. 2.23 those that hold the contrary opinion yet graunt that God did not onely take out the bare bone only out of Adams side but some flesh together with it which made Adam to say this is not onely bone of my bone but flesh of my flesh And it seemeth an unlikely thing that being done instantly by the almighty power of GOD he should take out a dry and dead bone onely and not the life spirit soule that was in it after the manner of the soules being in such a substance together with it Now it he tooke it thus whole together as it was the soule not being shut out of any part of the body how easie is it to conceive how God might miraculously in the first creation seperate the whole matter of her person from Adam onely and so of that bone as of a living body produce a new creature in a short time which now in longer time usc to be seperated from both sexes and so perfected by degrees in naturall generation yea why may not this originall affinitie between the two sexes give strength to the course of nature in producing more by uniting them againe in generation Fifthly This is the more probable because herein we have a clear type of Christs incarnatiō whose whole humanity as we shall herafter see was also miraculously made of the substance of the virgin onely as Eves onely of Adam a man of a woman onely as a woman of a man only both being insensible of it and as is probable both asleep◠when it was done Lastly when she was brought to Adam he confessed that shee was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh that is of the same humane nature that he himselfe was both for soule and body and also taken out or him Neither needed he to say soule or my soule for flesh is usually put for the whole person as where even in the same book it is said All flesh had corrupted their wayes Gen. 6.12 which notwithstanding is chiefly in regard of the soule And least any should doubt of it he presently addes Shee shall he callea woman because shee was taken out of man where he plainly affirmes that her whole person was taken out of man and for that cause was named woman which cannot possibly be understood of the body onely I will therefore hereunto subjoyne the forgoing words of our Saviour Let no man seperate what God hath joyned together Mat. 19.6 and conclude that her whole person as well soule as body was taken out of man So that in this also that of the Apostle is true God hath made all of one blood even Adams Act. 17.26 Wherefore from this reason I also conclude the contrary that seeing in all probabilities Adams soule was of such a nature as thereon could be made another and ours are of the same nature that his was it is not absurd but very likely that others may be made of ours also The third and last reason of any weight is 3. that Christs soule was created of nothing and he is like unto us in all things sinne onely excepted ergo c. But first if it be necessary 1. From the creation of Christs soule that wee should be like unto him in all things except sin then it would follow that we should be conceived by the Holy Ghost as he was for that was without sinne especially if he might have been conceived without sin without that worke as by this doctrine it seemes he might as afterward wee shall see 2. Secondly it is not yet proved that Christs soule was immediately created of nothing yea it may be denied by the same reason for then wee should not be alike to him in all things except sin If it be said that if Christs soule had beene traduced by ordinary generation it must needs have beene sinfull I graunt it and therefore I say it was that his conception was extraordinary and supernaturall for it being impossible in nature for a Virgin to conceive without man therefore this was brought to passe by the miraculous power of the Holy Ghost who seperated a part of the Virgin for that purpose and supplied what was wanting in nature by supernaturall power which is signified in that it is said Shee was overshadowed by the holy Ghost But although he was not conceived after the manner that other men are that so he might be without sinne yet it followeth not from hence but his whole humanitie both soule and body might be made of the same matter that other mens are so as he be not corrupted with sinne Which how it may be we shall heare in the proper place where this also shall be brought as an Argument to prove the contrary so weake are objections against the truth Lastly Though it should be granted that Christs soule was immediately created by God as the first Adams was because it could not be propagated after the manner of mankinde without sinne yet it would not follow that all ours are therefore so as they collect Nay the contrary plainly appeareth for for the same cause that his must be created immediately to be without sinne ours must be mediately that they may be sinfull and tor the same cause he cannot be propagated without sinne we cannot be sinfull unlesse propagated And thus much for the Scripture and reasons drawne from them to prove the immediate creation of soules Whereby all men may see upon what weake grounds this opinion is fatherred upon the Scriptures And now I am to encounter with the other troope of Arguments taken from the impossibilitie of the soules propagation CHAP. VIII Whether propagation can stand with the spirituall nature of the Soule Objection ordered From the probabilitie of the Creation proceed wee now unto the impossibility of the propagation of the soule And indeed the reasons oppugning the soules propagation are very many and forcible and such as doe sufficiently prove that man cannot of himselfe alone without some more special work of God propagate his like as beasts doe theirs 1. From the nature of the soule The reasons that wee may not be confounded with the number of them are either such as do more specially respect the nature of the soule not without some respect to propagation or else such as doe more specially respect the nature of propagatiō not without some respect to the soule But before I come to the particulars the generall answer to all may be this 2. From the nature of propagation That all naturall reasons are taken from corporall generations and so doe onely prove that soules cannot be propagated as bodies are which is not denyed For neither doth the body propagate the soule neither yet is it propagated after a bodily manner but the whol
man generates the whole man after a manner convenient to either nature 1. The soule supernaturall The first objection is that the soule is supernaturall and nature cannot produce any thing above nature But first it cannot be properly said that the soule is supernaturall It is indeed above elementary natures and therefore I also deny that it can be propagated of or by the body alone Againe I say not that the whole man can beget his like according to that common manner whereby other creatures are generated but by the supernaturall power of GOD assisting him And so though it were supernaturall yet it is not against nature that it should be propagated seeing as it is supernaturall so it is supernaturally propagated 2. Spirits cannot propagate Secondly It is objected that the soule is a simple spirit like unto Angels and therefore as one Angell cannot beget another so neither can soules First I answer 1. that we might with as good reason reason thus soules are like unto Angels and Angels cannot be united with bodies therefore soules cannot 2. Homo generat nec materiam nec formam sed totū compositum Secondly I doe not say that one soule doth beget another but one man another For generation is not of matter or forme onely but of the whole compound consisting of matter and forme Thirdly though soules are of a simple spirituall substance as are Angels in respect of elementary yet even Angels themselves and much more mens soules are not without a spirituall kinde of composition For to be simply simple is proper onely to the nature of God Fourthly Mens soules are of a farre more inferiour nature and so are more compounded than the nature of Angels and very fit it was that they should be so that they might be the more sutable to corporall natures with whom it pleased the Creator to unite them Lastly We see it is the will of God that soules should be produced with bodyes one after another in a naturall order to the worlds end and therefore hath conferred his efficient power for the effecting thereof from the beginning none of all which can be affirmed of Angels And now let reasō or any reasonable man judge whether it will follow that because one Angell neither doth nor can beget another therfore man cannot beget man yea God cannot by man produce one soule out of another though after a metaphysicall manner as for the reasons aforesaid we cannot throughly conceive 3. The soule is immateriall Of the same kinde is that objection that the soule is immateriall and the reason stands thus Whatsoever is made must be either of nothing or of some matter pre-existing now the soule is without matter and therfore cannot be propagated but must needs be immediately created of nothing But I deny the soule is altogether immateriall for although it hath no elementary matter yet it hath spirituall matter For all created spirits being compounded of act and potency have a kinde of similitude with corporall natures both in regard of matter and forme yea even Angels themselves But by a kinde of transcendency their matter is as our forme and their forme as the forme of our forme which because we want fitter words may indifferently be called spirituall matter and forme which doe best of all agree with the inferior nature of the soule And if it be said The spirituall matter of the soule it can have no such spirituall all matter because then it must be of such a nature as may receive contrary formes as we see in the generation of all other creatures by reason whereof the soule shall be made corruptible I answer first that though it be so in elementary generations yet it followeth not in spirituall compositions seeing their matter is of an higher kind Secondly Though nature cannot produce one soule put of another but by a corruptible course yet it followeth not but the God of nature may Thirdly as the soule to speake properly consists rather of power than any parts so the propagation is rather by promotion then than any decision Fourthly as the soule hath its essence more in the power and faculty than in the matter of it so more is to be ascribed to the efficient than to the materiall cause more to God than to man and yet that according to the course of nature too Lastly as man is the perfection of the creatures so his is the perfection of generation It is no strange thing therefore but very fitting that there should be somewhat in it transcending the common course as namely that one immortall nature should be derived from another by such a kind of generatiō as is very neere a creation by vertue of that first ordination and continual assistance of the father of spirits on whom the soule hath so neere a dependence 4. The soule corruptible Againe it is objected that the soule is incorruptible and it is a rule in nature Generatio unius est corruptio alterius the generation of one is the corruption of another Now if in every generation there must be a corruption seeing the soule cannot be corrupted it cannot be generated neither But first if this corruption should be graunted in the generation of the soule it is onely in termino a quo which cannot hinder the immortalitie of the soule that is propagated neither doth it belong to the soule that doth propagate for the generaration is of the soule generated not of the soule generating Againe what manner of corruption is that which is here meant A perishing indeed but such an one is rather a perfecting For in generation the seed is not corrupted by putrefaction but by perfection that is it ceaseth to be that which before it was and is made that which it was not because the potentiall being is turned into actuall being seed into a creature so that the thing is the same that it was before though not after the same manner that before it was and thus I graunt there is a corruption in the soules generation namely it ceaseth to be in power onely when it is in act and why then there is not something in man that is not the soule but rather the seminary of the soule as the seede is of the body wee shall heare afterwards 5. It can subsist by it selfe Another argument is taken from the power that the soule hath to subsist by it selfe without the body after this manner if the soule cannot be produced without the body then can it not live without the body and if the bodies generation be the cause of producing it the bodies corruption must also cause the death of it but the soule can live without the body and cannot be corrupted by it and therefore is not generated neither with nor by the body These things thus hudled up together are partly true and partly false for first there is not nor ever was there a soul produced without a body that