[XXVI.]
MADAM,
By reason the Soul is a Spirit, and therefore Contractible and Dilatable, your Authors opinion is,[1] That it begins within less compass at first in organising the fitly prepared matter, and so bears it self on in the same tenour of work, till the body hath attained its full growth; and that the Soul dilates it self in the dilating of the Body, and so possesses it through all the members thereof. Truly, Madam, as for the contraction and dilation of an immaterial Spirit, if I heard never so many arguments, I should hardly be able to conceive the possibility of it; For in my opinion, dilating and contracting are motions and actions of Nature, which belong to natural material Creatures, and to none else; for dilation and contraction cannot be without extension, but extension belongs to parts which an immaterial Spirit hath not: But suppose it be so, then the Soul must contract and dilate, extend and shrink together, and so grow less and bigger, according to the extension of the body; and when the body dies, the soul, in my opinion, must contract to a very point; and if one part of the body die before the other, the soul must by degrees withdraw out of those parts: also when a part of the body is cut off, the soul must needs contract, and grow less; the like when a man is let blood. Which contracting of the soul, by your Authors leave, doth seem, to my imagination, just like the contracting of Hodmandod into her shell. Besides, if the soul be individable, and equally spread all over the body, then, to my opinion, she must necessarily be of a human shape; and if the body be deformed, the soul must be deformed also; and if the body be casually extended, as by taking Poyson into the body, the soul must be so too, as being individable and filling every part; and if a man be born with six fingers or toes, the soul must be so too; or if a dwarf, the soul must be a dwarf also; and if he be born deaf and dumb, the soul must be so too. But if two Twins, as it may fall out, should be born united in one body, I would fain know then, whether they would have two souls, or but one? As for example, if they should have but one body, and one stomack, liver, heart, spleen, lungs, bowels, and yet have four legs, four hands, and two heads: It seems, to my opinion, that then two Immaterial Souls must be joyned as into one; neither do I know yet how this could well be, the monster having but one body, nor how that Immaterial Soul can be divided, being inseparably double, when the body dies. But, Madam, all this I speak of the Natural Soul of Man, not of the Divine Soul, which is not subject to natural imperfections, and corporeal errors, being not made by Nature, but a supernatural and divine gift of the Omnipotent God, who surely will not give any thing that is not perfect. Wherefore it is not probable, this Divine Soul, being not subject to Nature, should be an architect of the body, as having an higher and more divine imployment, viz. to fix her self on her Creator, and being indued with supernatural faculties, and residing in the body in a supernatural manner; all which I leave to the Church: for I should be loth to affirm any thing contrary to their Doctrine, or the Information of the holy Scripture, as grounding my belief onely upon the sacred Word of God, and its true Interpretation made by the Orthodox Church; but not upon the opinions of particular persons: for particular mens opinions are not authentical, being so different and various, as a man would be puzled which to adhere to. Thus, Madam, I avoid, as much as ever I can, not to mix Divinity with Natural Philosophy; for I consider, that such a mixture would breed more confusion in the Church, then do any good to either; witness the doctrine of the Soul of Man, whereof are so many different opinions: The onely cause, in my opinion, is, that men do not conceive the difference between the Divine, and Natural material Soul of Man, making them both as one, and mixing or confounding their faculties and proprieties, which yet are quite different; thus they make a Hodg-podg, Bisk or Olio of both; proving Divinity by Nature, and Faith by Reason; and bringing Arguments for Articles of Faith, and sacred Mysteries out of Natural Arts and Sciences; whereas yet Faith and Reason are two contrary things, and cannot consist together; according to the Proverb, Where Reason ends, Faith begins. Neither is it possible that Divinity can be proved by Mathematical Demonstrations; for if Nature be not able to do it, much less is Art: Wherefore it is inconvenient to mix supernatural Spirits with Air, Fire, Light, Heat, Cold, &c. and to apply corporeal actions and qualities to them; and the Divine Soul, with the Brain, Blood, Flesh, Animal Spirits, Muscles, Nerves, Bones, &c. of Man; all which makes a confusion betwixt the Mind or Natural Soul of Man, and the Supernatural and Divine Soul inspired into him by God; for both their faculties and proprieties are different, and so are their effects, as proceeding from so different causes. And therefore, Madam, as for Divinity, I pray devoutly, and believe without disputing; but as for Natural Philosophy, I reason freely, and argue without believing, or adhering to any ones particular opinion, which I think is the best and safest way to choose for,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend,
and Servant.
[1] Of the Immortality of the Soul, l. 2. c. 10.
[XXVII.]
MADAM,